Different Dimension
by vildtiger
Summary: After sacrifice himself for his younger brother Shahill finds himself very alive with two doctors named Rockbell. they guide him to Resembool where he not only receive a new arm but also befriend three children. a year later he leave on a travel,he finds out his brother is the killer named Scar. not only that but the whole reality he knew is not at all what he remembers.
1. Chapter 1: Awakning

_Standing before a creature never seen before but heard so many times before was something you wouldn´t do every day, that was his thoughts when he saw a humanlike being standing before him. It called itself a Morphatia, a immortal being who fled because of war in its own world, but he would prefer call this thing; with bat looking wings with sharp fingers, leather skin, a long slender tail, and creepy yellow eyes: a demon. So of course he did not trust this creature, but she ensured him that all the bad stuff he have heard of her species are all false. She did however, whisper and make deals with mortals, those who are selfish will later regret the deal. But she ensured she only did it so mortals could learn from their mistakes.  
He heard truth in her story, she isn´t lying. Still, he is not entirely sure why she in this realm where not living can set their foot.  
"I can give you another change, I can give you life." She said smirking to him and with a laid back tone added "but I guess you wouldn´t say yes to it, after all: you don´t trust little old me."_

True, he did not trust her; and yet what she said is not something you could turn your back when you did not have a life…  
"You will bring me back?" He asked her wary "what is the catch?"

The demon girl giggled "Ohhh you catch up fast, compared to other fools!" She danced around him and winked told to the distrustful man. "You´ll find out the catch soon enough, you don´t have to worry though. I will not make you my slave." She said with her face too close to his face, he did not like this "after this little deal is over, you´ll probably never see my beauty face again."

He turned his head away from hers "I can´t say I complain…"

Before someone gets the wrong idea about this demon, she is far from ugly and monstrosity, quite the opposite.  
"My my! If you had flesh and blood I would say you are blushing!" the demon laughed.  
She giggling forced his head to hers again, forcing him to look into her demon eyes "I take we have a deal mortal. Seems like I won´t get bored in my new playground yard!"  
She pieced her hand into his chest and he gasped in shock over he actually felt that!  
His whole mind span away, he fell. Down, down, into the darkness.

"Wake up again mortal!"

  
"Come on, wake up!"

... The dream he had of that strange place and that…. thing, what was it again….

"We´re losing him!"

The darkness tried pull him back, it was nice but scary too… it would be so easy to give in… the voices there called to him faded away, why should he fight this inviting darkness?

"Stand back dear!"

The darkness suddenly blasted away by pain in his chest, his whole body hurts like never before. The voices became clearer and in a split second he opens his eyes and saw the world he was so close to leave. It´s faint but he isn´t sure what he saw, but that´s enough to make him fight for his life.

"It worked!" the voice said and then called clearer "can you hear me sir?"

He opens his eyes again and again he saw a blurry world, it took him few moments to realize he is missing his glasses. It took him a while but at last he got his eyes to focus and he saw the owner of the voice. It is a female a woman to be precise and she looked so relieved seeing him awake.  
She smiled down to him, a smile there remained him another reason to abandon the darkness. He got someone, very special waiting for him… Kalinda.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him.

Before he even could reply her, a male around his age came into his view. He looked just as relieved as her "Man, I thought you was a goner!"

He blinked few times, what did he mean? Oh… the darkness. It was death.  
"How…" he coughed and tried again utter his question "how long have I been unconscious?"

"Around a week" the woman replied "when you first came in, you showed no sign of life"

He most have been pretty lucky to be alive, seems like whoever brought him here saved him. And so has these two doctors.  
He smiled weakly up to him "Thank you."

The man smiled back down to him "No problem, now; get some rest."  
They left him alone.

He smiled weakly after them but it quickly faded when he realized the reason why he is here and has been so close to death. He turned his eyes to his right and with a sick feeling of despair he turned away, he have lost his whole right arm…  
slowly the memories came back to him and the sick felling slowly faded, the reason his arm is gone… he gave it to his brother in order to save him. He looked against to the stump of a arm, wondering if his sacrifice did save his younger brother from death.

A/N: because no one knows Scar´s brother´s real name I like many other chose giving him one and that´s Shahill there means Guide.


	2. Chapter 2: Three children

"Your wound is a little infected, but not what antibiotics can handle." the woman told after inject the antibiotics into the armless shoulder.

He nodded slowly and only turned to her when she asked worried "Something wrong mister?"  
Well, a lot has been on his mind, but first thing first; "Can you please tell me your name first?" he asked her polite.

The woman doctor smiled "I´m Sara Rockbell" she said and pointed to the male doctor "and that´s my husband Urey"

He nodded up to her and said "My name is Shahill Kanaan. I´m a scholar from Ishval." his red eyes as all Ishvalan have dropped down to the missing arm "but I´m not sure what I can do with only one arm…"

"You would always get automail" Sara suggested kind, she sat down beside the surprised Ishvalan "when you get better, I can send you to my mother in law. She can give you a new arm, with a price of course" she winked to him.

Shahill blinked "Really?" is he able to get a new arm?

Sara nodded and looked smiling up to her husband who walked to them after have tended to other patients "Sure, my mom would be more than happy to help you."

"Then you are able to look for your family" Sara added.

Shahill blinked surprised again "How?—"

"Your eyes told me" Sara said. Her eyes soften as she took a picture with a little girl on "you have someone special and she is waiting for you, am I wrong?"

It is true he got someone waiting for him, his dear Kalinda. He asked her to leave Ishval before the war came to their home, to ensure her and their unborn child safety. But his dear love isn´t the only one, his brother… Shahill remember it clearly.  
He will never forget that day. That alchemist came out of nowhere and with a single transmutation, he torn up the ground as himself, his younger brother and his parents stood on. They was all in grave danger, but he chose to protect his brother and risk his own life in doing it. The Alchemist´s attack has been devastating, when he came around again he saw the huge destruction the attack have made.  
His brother, he has been so wounded. His face, torn up and he also lost his arm. How helpless he felt that very moment, and it was there he made the choice, the only way he saw to save his younger brother. He sacrificed his arm to save his brother´s, he should have died… and yet, here he was.  
Shahill closed his eyes in pain, not of the memories or the new scars from that war.  
No, it was of the clueless darkness of his brother is alive or not. Did his attempt to save him suceed or was it all in vain?

"Shahill, are you alright?"

He turned his eyes to Sara, realize he have spaced off. He smiled weakly to her "Yes, I have someone I hold dear. And I need to find them."

Shahill walked away from the Rockbell couple, his wound has finally healed enough for him to make the journey to their home Resembool where he could get a new arm but that is no longer the whole reason he took this journey.

_"Are you going to Resembool?" Urey asked._

Shahill nodded as he dressed up "Yes, my wounds has finally healed enough for me to take the journey."He stopped in midway by taking his sand color shirt on "why do you ask?"

Urey and Sara looked at each other, then Sara gave Shahill a letter where the name "Winry" stood on.  
"Would you be so kind deliver this to our daughter?" She asked and explained "we haven´t been able to send any letters because of the war and no one is going that way."

How can he say no? These two have done so much and been so kind to him. He took the letter "I will gladly do it for you, friends."

Both smiled in great happiness "Thank you Shahill."

* * *

So now he is on his way to Resembool, Urey told him he could cut the long travel to half by taking a route near a river. It´s impossible going this way be vehicle, but on foot it is a walk in the park so to speak.  
Already the next day he spotted houses and knew he has arrived the Rockbell´s hometown.  
He passed a lovely middle sized white house, where two boys played around a big oak while their mother hang up laundry.  
The mother notice Shahill and turned to him quite surprised, in only matter of few seconds she waved hi with a smile. She isn´t the one he is looking for, but it never harm asking. He went to the mother there said after leaving her laundry on the clothesline "I haven´t seen you around here, new in town?"

He nodded "Yes Mrs. I´m on my way to the Rockbell"

The woman blinked, very aware he is an Ishvalan but she has never judge a person on what kind they are. "Rockbell? You are a little too late. Mister and Mrs. Rockbell is in Ishval, to help so many as they can."

"I know, that´s the reason why I´m here" he motion his head to his missing arm "they told I could get a new arm here, and…" he showed her the letter "I have this to their daughter."

"Oh, that´s wonderful!" smiled the woman delightful. "I´m sure Winry will be happy to get it. Let me guess, you have no idea where they live?"

"You read me like a open book" chuckled Shahill embarrassed with his arm behind his head. He is a little lost. He only have know the way this far, but not what house the Rockbell lived in.

"That´s not a problem" the mother turned around to her two boys "Edward, Alphonse, come over here."  
The two boys stopped their chase and went couriers over to their mother and the Ishvalan. Both boys stared up to Shahill with wide eyes; he could see they found his eye and probably skin color very strange but that isn´t really a surprise.  
"Could you two be so kind taking this man to the Rockbell´s house?" she asked them.

The oldest boy slowly nodded up to his mom "Sure mom" the boy turned to Shahill and began walking away from his mom "follow us"

Shahill smiled and turned to the boys mom "I´m Shahill Kaanen by the way."

"I´m Trisha Elric." She said and both adult gave each other their hands, with their left because Shahill couldn´t do it otherwise.

"Are you coming?!" called the oldest boy and Shahill muttered to Trisha "I better follow, thanks for the help"  
She nodded smiling back and Shahill followed the two boys.

* * *

"So, what is your name?" asked the younger boy him on the route to the Rockbell house.

"I´m Shahill, and you?"

The younger boy smiled up to him "My name is Alphonse." He pointed to his older brother; a blond haired boy with just as golden eyes, unlike his younger brother who has dirty blond hair and eyes. "And that's my brother Edward."

The boy Edward did not say hi, instead he went straight to the point "Why are you going to the Rockbell?"

"As you can see I´m missing one of my arms" Shahill told, he took the letter up from his pocket. It is a little curly after being in his pocket, but it wasn´t enough to destroy what is inside. "And I have news from her parents."

Alphonse looked shocked and happy at the same time "Really?!"  
While his older brother Edward stayed more collected, probably because he did not fully trust Shahill. "Are they alright?" He asked the Ishvalan.

Shahill nodded "They are, if it wasn´t for them; I would´ve been dead."

That seems to be enough to know for the two boys, they both began relax now they knew Winry´s parents is all right.  
They arrived to the Rockbell house where Edward ran inside, yelling to Winry and her grandmother that they got news from Winry´s parents. Not long after arrived an older and quite short woman with a little girl Shahill guess is Winry beside her.  
"Winry Rockbell?" Shahill asked the young girl. She shyly nodded and the Ishvalan gave her the letter. "Your mother and father want you to have this."

Winry took the letter and eager open it, a moment of silence while Winry read the letter from her parents, when she finally is done, she smiled with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much." she gave the letter to her grandmother who read it too.

Shahill nodded "You´re welcome little one" he turned to Winry´s grandmother saying shortly "I guess the letter wasn´t your only reason you came here." she pointed at his missing arm. "My son send you here because of your lost arm, correct?"

Shahill sat his left arm on his armless right shoulder with a nod "Yes ma´am, Urey told me you are one heck of a Automail Technician and I couldn´t get it any better."

"Did he, sounds like my son" Chuckled the old lady. "Well, seems like I got some work to do." She walked inside the house, but stopped and glanced back to the Ishvalan "Name´s Pinako, but I guess you already knows that."

Shahill nodded chuckling "I do, but you don´t know mine; I´m Shahill."

"Nice to meet you Shahill" Pinako smiled to him before she told the kids they could run off and play.  
She didn´t have to say that twice. Meanwhile the kids played around outside, Pinako began working on Shahill´s new automail arm.

"I see you are an Ishvalan" Pinako remarked to the man "I guess you was smart enough to flee."

"Sadly no" Shahill admitted, still memory fresh of the attack from that alchemist. "Me and my family was about to flee, but we got ambushed by a State Alchemist, I survived by luck… but my mother and father. Well, they are gone." He turned to the window, looking outside and hide the pain in his reddish eyes for Pinako.

"So you are all alone?"

"No, my wife succeed to escape before the war came to our home, but my brother… he was there, right beside me. The attack didn´t kill my younger brother, though." Shahill turned back to her "He is the reason why I´m missing a arm, he lost his under the blast, so I gave him mine."

Pinako stopped her work on the wires to the automail, shocked asked him "And how did you do that?"

"By alchemy"

"I see, you are an alchemist"

Shahill nodded and added "So far I know; the first one of my people. Many in my town did not like I studied alchemy. You see, it is against our god Ishvala"  
"Then why did you study it?"

"I want to understand, alchemy is about understanding. I hope I use alchemy to unite people, or at least make my people understand that alchemy is not a bad thing." Shahill told her, that has been his big picture reason. Of course he also has a more egoism point of this, he find alchemy fascinating and want to study it even it is against his belief.

"It´s a big goal you have, sure it´s not too much for you?"

He couldn´t answer her that, maybe it is too much, but… "I don´t know it before I try."

That answer seems to be good enough, she turned back to her work "true"  
A awkward silent came, luckily Pinako got more questions to her new customer. For she have been noticing how the man stared at the kids with a wondering look in those red eyes. "Do you have any kids?"

Shahill turned back to her, slightly surprised over the question and Pinako added "You told me you have a wife, and how you are looking at the children I presume she wasn´t alone."

"She had her family with her—" he began, but she interrupted him.

"That´s not what I meant young man" Pinako smirked to him and remarked "She carried a child, your child."

Shahill eyes wide, how did she know his wife is pregnant "How did you... oh, is it really that obvious?"

Pinako grinned "your eyes told me, and I´m sure she is fine. You will see her and your son or daughter soon. What I suggest you should be looking for when you are ready is your brother. You need to know if he is alive or not, only when you know you can move on."

"I will." Shahill said with determent eyes, he will find his younger brother and when they are together again. They will join his dear wife´s and her family.  
But for the time being, he needed to get a new arm.

* * *

A/N: not sure how many have seen both FMA anime, if you have then you can probably see that Scar´s brother I´m writing about is not the one from 2003 anime.  
and sorry if I do him a bit too much oc, but it´s hard when you don´t have much information about him.


	3. Chapter 3: Life in Resembool

Urey and Sara did warn the Ishvalan how painful getting automail is, but he thought it only was an understatement. Seems like they told the ugly true, getting automail is the most painful he ever felt.  
In the whole surgery, Shahill only remembered the pain, he couldn´t think of anything else. The only thing he remembered next is he woke up with a numb shoulder and a fever from the stress and pain.  
The little girl Winry stopped in her move of giving him a cold cloth to his forehead when she realized he have woken up. Her little puppy titled its head of her startled jump.

"Did I pass out?" he asked the girl and he quickly noticed the metal limp there is now his right arm. Amazed he lifted it up and studied the automail.

"Yeah you did" Winry said, she too looked to his new arm "grandma says you were lucky you did, she wasn´t sure how long you could´ve taken it."

Really? Not sure it´s good or bad he did, Shahill slowly nodded and asked the girl "Anything I need to know about the automail?"

The girl lit up as a candle, she took his arm and began telling what part he needed to oil often, every day if he could. She also told he needed to train his shoulder and new the arm up again, if he didn´t he would have trouble controlling it. Shahill listen to the girl, knowing far too well what her passion lies and he is pretty sure she will walk in her families footsteps with automail.  
"Did you get all of it?" Winry asked after telling him all she knew.

Shahill nodded smiling to her "I sure did." He took his arm down and let the little black and white puppy sniff to it.

"That´s good!" the little girl smiled, it faded slightly when suddenly Edward saying loud inside the other room, slightly annoyed she wasn´t in with them "Winry, are you coming or what?!"

Winry turned to the door "hang on you two, I´ll be there in a moment!" She yelled back and sighted annoyed and turned to Shahill who remarked smiling "You got one heck of a handful with those two, huh."

Winry nodded "Yeah, but they are good friends, even Ed."

"I´m sure they are." Shahill smiled and told as he laid down "you run off to your friends, no need to worry about me."

Winry nodded, took her puppy up and ran out to her friends, complaining how impatient they are.

Shahill chuckled and went to sleep, dreaming of the war he barely escaped and the alchemist there teared his former reality away.

* * *

Days after his automail surgery, Shahill´s fever is finally gone and the Ishvalan could tell Pinako that because he did not have any money he wanted to pay off by working for them.

Pinako chuckled of the suggestion, thinking there is no need for him to pay "You gave Winry news of her parents, showing us they are alright. That´s more than enough payment for me."

Shahill rose from his chair, he walked to the window and looked out the fields Resembool mostly was made of "Perhaps, but I think I just needed an excuse to stay. I have no idea where to go next and my shoulder hasn´t fully healed yet."

"You don´t have to worry about that my friend."

Shahill turned confused to the older lady and Pinako smirked told "You can stay as long as you want; and leave when you feel ready." She too rose from her chair. "Meanwhile you are here, you could always help this old lady."

"thank you for your kindness."

Pinako chuckled and told he better should get his new arm to good use "I noticed we are a bit low on firewood, could you—"

"Of course" Shahill said before she even finish and walked outside, he found the chopping block and began his work. Few chores like that began fill his days in the small town, he helped everyone he could and that way he became a part of this little city. Thanks to that he also received news he might need to his search to find his family and also how his homeland is doing. But it is not only work he did, it wasn´t a surprise for anyone that Shahill and Winry become close friends and so did the Elric brothers. If they needed advice on something they wouldn´t ask their mother, they went to him. Of course the brothers mostly wanted to hear about alchemy, it did not take them long to realize that the Ishvalan knew to alchemy although he never showed them what he could. Shahill is an alchemist, but his is also an Ishvalan and so he only want to use alchemy if needed, not to show off to the kids.

* * *

One day sat Shahill on his usual spot where he read a book, he preferred to sit here and study. And of course the local kids knew that and they also knew he didn´t really mind if they bothered him, if they did he would tell them.  
Shahill only glanced up from his book from of the sounds of running footstep. He turned his mind back to his book when he saw it is the Elric brothers.  
Edward stopped his running and sat down on the other side of the tree, seems like something is bothering him. Alphonse quickly caught up to his brother; make a brief greeting to Shahill before he sat down beside his brother.  
Shahill sighted stopped his study and went to the boys "Something wrong?"

Alphonse looked up to him, then he turned his eyes to his brother there muttered everything is fine.

Shahill sat down beside them "You wouldn´t come here with that long face if "everything is fine." So tell me, what is wrong?"  
Edward sighted and asked "Do you think it is alright if your father left you and make your mother sad?"

Shahill frowned. Not quite what he expected, then again; their mother have told him that their father left long time ago and he promise to return which has not happen yet. "It depends on the reason, some parents leave their family in order to protect them."

"But it makes mother sad every time she hear about him" Edward said, he looked up to Shahill "Do you have any kids?"

Shahill smiled slightly of that question "Yes, but I have never seen my child. I was forced to ask her to leave them in order to protect them."

"Why?" Edward asked confused "because of the war?"

The Ishvalan nodded "yeah, Kalinda was pregnant when I asked her to leave Ishval; for our child´s sake. If everything went well, the child would be born by now."

"Then why don´t you try find them? Don´t you want to see them?" Alphonse asked confused and added "or do you stay away like dad?"

Shahill chuckled ruffled the young boy´s hair "No, I want to find them. But I have no idea where they are to be honest."

Alphonse nodded slowly and asked even it is more a statement "So you are kind of lost."

The Ishvalan nodded, they could say that.

Edward sighted loud and took a little figure he made out of alchemy; he showed to Shahill "What do you think?"

Shahill took the little metal figure "I say it´s pretty impressive, you will turn to a very skilled alchemist someday."

Edward gave him a big smile from the praise, he loves when people praised his alchemy skills.  
Alphonse too showed his work and Shahill said almost the same, except he should train a little more.  
"You should show them to Winry as well" he suggested and that´s what the boys wants to. The trio went to the Rockbell´s house where Winry have gotten horrible news about her parents.  
Urey and Sara Rockebell have been killed in Ishval.  
Shahill found it very sad that they would be victim to the war, true they were in the heart of the war and helped both side. So why did the letter say his people killed them? No it couldn´t be, his people would never do it…  
Shahill walked over to the crying girl, muttering how sorry he is for her and gentle hugged her as comfort. The young girl began crying into his chest.

Alphonse walked uncertain to his friend "Um Winry, our dad is gone too you know." He placed his figure beside Shahill and Winry "we make it okay"

"Shut up!" yelled Winry to Alphonse "your dad just ran off, my parents are both dead!"

Shahill gentle hushed her down and hugged her tighter "Shhh it won´t help yelling at him, he´s only trying to help."

She turned her wet skyblue eyes up to his reddish and Shahill said calm "Losing someone does hurt, trust me I know. I lost my parents, my friends and maybe even my younger brother to that war. It does not bring anything else that sadness, but we have to move on." he stared out to space, looking at something others could not "They will live in you, the memories you have of them and what they taught you."

Winry clenched her tiny hands around a piece of his shirt, not fully understanding what he meant "But they are dead, nothing can changes that!"

No it couldn´t, this poor girl has to live without her parents.

"That´s not necessary true" Edward suddenly said to all´s surprise. "I it read in a book, there is this artificial made thing called Homunculus. It sort of a living doll without a mind to begin with, but some believes that alchemy is willing to give up—"

"Stop!" stopped Pinako him and said hash that she will hear no talking about this inside this house "That´s a forbidden science and alchemy is NOT some magic to all answers."

Edward muttered something that Pinako was an old hag and that did Pinako not take nicely. She threw all kind of stuff after them, making the two boys run out as fast as they could.

Shahill gentle let go of Winry who slowly have stop crying, he smiled sad down to her when she said "I miss them…"  
"I know… " He muttered and glanced to Pinako who just stood and watched them.

* * *

Few days later from the news of Winry´s parents dead: Shahill have come to the decision to leave Resembool, it´s a hard choice but he can´t stay here forever. Not with the questions about his family is alright or not hanging over his head. He needed to find out where is brother is and his wife before he can truly relax. He has already used too much time here, but he did not really regret it.  
He could stay longer and be there for Winry, but he couldn´t. Not anymore, even how much he hated to admit it. His own family needed him more. So at the dinner he told the two Rockbells he´s leaving town the next morning.  
"Why?!" Winry asked heartbroken "why are you leaving?"  
"It´s my family Winry." he told the young girl "I need to know if they are alright or… the war got them too."

Winry couldn´t argue with him there, she knew how much pain waiting causes and she couldn´t be the reason Shahill´s family should wait longer for him.  
Shahill could see she understood his reason and he felt grateful she did, trying to convince her would have been so much harder for both of them. He really cared for her and considered her as family, so seeing her sad made him sad.

"Are you going to tell Ed and Al as well?" Pinako asked him.

He nodded to her "Yes, I´ll tell them tonight. Giving them a chance to accept it before it happen"

Both Rockbell nodded to him and after the dinner Shahill went to the Elrics house where he told Trisha Elric he would leave the next day.

"I came here to say goodbye to Ed and Al. I found it best do it now instead they find out I´m not there."

Trisha understood why "You don´t want to do the same like their father."

He turned his head away, a little embarrassed over that is his reason "they never got the chance to say goodbye to him from what I understood from Ed."

"True, he did not like saying goodbye" Trisha face turned sad talking about her love, but she quickly got over it and added "it´s kind of ironic that you took the father figure in their life instead of him…"

Shahill blinked surprised for he did not see himself as father figure for those two boys. Then again, they needed one.

"Shall I call them?" she asked him smiling, completely hiding her sadness "they are inside their father´s room."

"You don´t have to." he said and asked "if I may, I would like to go in and talk to them."  
She allowed him and went into the house with him, showing him the room and she went into the dining room. Shahill walked into the room where Ed and Al is and both boys is pretty surprised to see him here.

"Hey, Shahill. What are you doing here?" asked Edward.

Shahill told them why and like Winry, they did not like he is leaving but as Winry they understood why.  
"Will we ever see you again?" Alphonse asked.

Shahill sat down beside them with a faint smile "Of course." the smile faded "I won´t lie to you two. I will not return in a few weeks or months, I´m afraid it is possible closer to years. My search is not an easy task."  
he saw the sadness painted all over their faces. He smiled weakly and asked in hope to cheer them up "Before I go, I would like to see some of your alchemy."

Alphonse lit up and is more than ready to show off his skills. Edward in the other hand "No."

Shahill and Alphonse stared at him surprised and Edward said to the Ishvalan "You told us you are an alchemist, but we haven´t one single time seen you perform alchemy." He sighted loud and said with determent eyes "My point is, could you show us your alchemy before you leave?"

Shahill blinked, but smiled with a slow nod "Of course" he asked the boys to follow him and outside Shahill lifted up his right arm where transmutation marking is carved into the metal, not the one he made the first time in Ishval. For some odd reason the alchemy is not how he remember or used to and therefore he needed a new arcane transmutation makings. He sat his arm on the ground and the makings on the automail lit up in the transmutation. From the ground he made a riding house, big enough for the boys to sit on. Ed and Al stared impressed on the sculpture and Edward asked "Can you do more?"

"Sure" he sat his hand again on the ground and this time he made a small rosebush grow up. "You can give those to your mother" he said and added "and that´s all I´m going to show you."

"Why? You are so good!" Edward pouted.

Shahill chuckled sat his left hand on Ed´s head "Alchemy is not something to show off with. It´s to help people; make life a little easier but it is not the ultimate art. You cannot solve everything with alchemy."

"But I thought…"

Shahill shook his head to the boy and said as he left "You´ll understand what I mean someday."

* * *

A/N: I´ve never seen Scar´s brother as a guy who use his alchemy by every giving chance, I think he only want to use it if he really have to.  
He is an Ishvalan after all.


	4. Chapter 4: Soldier

As anticipated, the search for his brother and his dear love is like finding a nail in a huge haystack. He traveled around, helping people and gaining information, but it was very hard for him to get work because of what he is: an Ishvalan. The Ishvalan war was over but the tense between the two races are still very tense and that did not help on the search. On his travel he began hearing of a young and very skilled alchemist, called the Fullmetal Alchemist or the hero of the people.  
The rumors of this young alchemist were most out in the east while in the south where Shahill traveled around; there is most rumor of a Priest who could perform miracles with his bare hands. It sounded interesting, but it isn´t a good enough reason for the Ishvalan to go there. He began travel back to the east where the rumor of the skilled and young alchemist is, he wasn´t sure he should try get in contact with this alchemist for some rumor also told that this alchemist is a State Alchemist and they is mostly military dogs. Shahill isn´t entirely sure he trust the military or not, for some places they are really helpful and nice, those types were easily to befriend if you helped them and repair damaged by a little alchemy. From those few he got a lot of in tell of all kind of military rumor, but sadly not of what he is searching for. While other soldiers they are closer to be "shoot first ask later" kind of types. He has encountered those kinds of types and a single of them were an alchemist. And that alchemist has been in the Ishvalan war and did not like seeing an Ishvalan asking question about the military. Shahill wanted to avoid a fight, but it is a little hard when the other alchemist is almost willing to kill. Luckily it never got that far and Shahill succeed to escapes by blinding the man, if that blinding is permanent or not is a little unsure.

* * *

Shahill chose to get closer to Ishval, hoping he would get more news of his home.  
He arrived to East city and as always when he is in town the rain poured down from the sky.  
The last time he was in this city he got a nasty cold, an Ishvalan are used to extremely hot weather. Not this endless and cold rain.  
Meanwhile he walked around the city he heard some disturbing talk of a serial killer who aimed for State Alchemists. He heard about it inside a bar he chose walk into to see he could get the latest gossip. And right, two soldiers talked on how this alchemist killer have already killed five alchemist in Central and because they haven´t been able to know who this killer is they called him "Scar."

"That a codename?" one of the soldier asked his comrade. He has black hair with bangs falling over his black eyes. Shahill turned his eyes to the shoulder of this man and notice that he is higher ranked than the other one.

The other soldier also has black hair even the hairstyle is quite different, this man has a chinstrap of scruffy beard. The man wear glasses just like Shahill and it seems like he knew a great deal about this killer "Scar."  
"I don´t know, it´s all we got." the glassed soldier admitted to his colleague, he sat his index and middle finger up to his forehead. "Several eyewitnesses described a man with a large scar on his forehead fleeing from the scene of the murders."

Shahill frowned of how this soldier described this killer, remained the Ishvalan that his own brother face got pretty torn up from the blow in the war. But that it would make a large X-shaped scar is unlikely. He took a sip of his drink and continues eardrop the conversation, maybe it´s wrong, but this is too interesting to miss.

"And you are sure he killed them all? Five well trained state alchemist?" Asked the higher ranked man and the glassed on corrected him "Nine, actually."

Shahill got choked by his drink, is that soldier serious?! Did this murder really kill nine State Alchemists?!

"Five kills in Central, four of them is alchemists. Cups turned up more state alchemists in other parts of the country. If you throw aids and guards who got in the way, then it into the dozens." The glassed one told.

Whoever this killer is, this guy means business. Shahill pray to his god that he and this killer never would cross path. He wouldn´t stand a chance especially when the glassed soldier told how this man did kill his victim: he explodes their brain from the inside.

"We don´t know why he is doing it, everyone is panicking. They are afraid they would be next."

Shahill could see why, he turned back to his own drink again as the other soldier remarked that the men from Central came to this backwater place as sort of protection.

His colleague remarked "You are here after all." Something the black haired male found slightly annoying and the glasses added "Those up in the chain who gave you this demotion of a transfer three years ago. They are aware of your abilities. You are protection for them."

Whoever this dark eyed soldier is, he must be pretty powerful. Shahill glanced to this man and notice a silver chain, he heard from some of his military "friends" that a State Alchemist gets a silver pocket watch as sign of what they are. So this man is a state alchemist, probably a skilled and powerful one if those from Central flee to this place and uses him as protection.

The black haired man smirked "Hell Maes, now you get me shaken off."

Shahill frowned slightly seems like those two are more than just colleagues, they are friends and the glassed male whose name apparently is Maes said more in a question "So that´s the big question; who´ll be the next target."  
The waitress walked to the Maes person with a phone and he quickly trying telling her he got a daughter when he did not see the phone. She told he got a call and the man apologies took the phone.  
"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, go ahead." Shahill did not see the other male was looking suspicions at him because the Ishvalan couriers waited to hear what the call is for.

"Understood, I´ll be right there" Hughes said and hung up, now with a very serious face. He rose turned to his friend "Well our question has been answered, they found another soldier dead in the East city station."

"Skull blown up? From the inside." the black haired asked and his friend nodded. With no further words they left, Shahill waited few moments before he followed them. From how the man named Maes Hughes told, it seems like this killer used alchemy and he want to know how he did it.  
He followed the two soldier and only stopped when he suddenly lost them in a alley. He looked around after them but:

"Mind I ask why you are following us?" He heard the dark haired man´s voice from behind. Startled Shahill turned around to the man who pointed at him like he is about to snap his finger with the white gloves he got on. How he stood, Shahill guess this is his battle stage and if he made the wrong move; he will find out this man´s alchemist ability is: the painful way.  
His friend stood beside him with his hand behind his back, he also stood ready to attack.  
"I´m are only asking once!" the man said threatening and Shahill quickly said with hands up in defense "Don´t shoot! I´m not here to fight."

They did not move, so Shahill explained "I´m sorry for it, but I overheard your conversation about this killer. How you explained it, it sounded like whoever does this uses alchemy and well…" he took his glasses off, and showed them his red eyes. He only hides them so he wouldn´t be chased by those stupid war thirsty alchemists. Both soldier gasped when they saw his eyes and Shahill finish his sentence "I want to know what kind of alchemy this killer uses, in case he is going after those I care for."

"But isn´t alchemy forbidden for your people?" Hughes asked him as he removed his hand away from his weapon and his friend lowered his hand.

"Not necessary, it is true alchemy is against our belief, but I chose this path to help my people. I never intend to rebel against my god and they accepted my choice."

The two soldiers looked at each other, then the dark haired man asked how much he knew about alchemy and Shahill told he know enough.  
The man named Maes Hughes walked to him with a smirk on his face "An Ishvalan alchemist huh? Not something you see every day."

* * *

They took him to the crime scene after most men have left, Hughes and his friend Roy Mustang wasn´t sure it would be smart telling the military and especially the sort of cruel Brigadier General Basque Grand about Shahill. Many from the military would probably not be so open-minded as others.

Shahill stared few second at the corpse and quickly turned his head away, feeling sick to his stomach.  
The two soldier quickly notice it and Hughes asked "First time you have seen death?"

Shahill shook his head to the now surprised Lt. Colonel "It´s not because I haven´t seen death. It´s because I have." He looked at him with pained eyes "I saw my family die right in front of me."

"A sight you wish you never saw" muttered Mustang, knowing far too well what he meant.

Shahill nodded to him in agreement, he breathe heavily to calm himself and turned back to the corps. He stared at the blown head a few seconds and then said to Hughes "Your killer is an alchemist, not sure he is professional though."

"Why do you say that?" Hughes asked.

Shahill walked away from the body, telling "Well whoever does this use deconstruction to kill, but the damage is so… grotesque. It´s like the killer have no idea how to narrow down the alchemy down and only deconstruct a small part.."

Hughes blinked and turned to his friend Mustang, asking "Can he do that?"

Mustang crossed his arms "Well, I can hold on alchemy so my flames do not kill. So I guess this killer could have done the same."

"Except he do this to kill." remarked Hughes and Shahill tried explain him "What I´m trying to say is that the killer didn´t have to blow the whole brain up in order to kill. If… was it Scar you called him?"

Hughes nodded.

"If Scar has been a professional alchemist, he would have known that if you deconstruct only a small part of the brain then the kill would look like a stroke, no one would have suspected the victim brain has been turned into mush."

Hughes crossed his arms of those new info "So we are looking after an alchemist there oblivions have very little experience with alchemy."

Shahill nodded.

"Well that did narrow it down quite a bit." Hughes said with a smile and added to Mustang "seems like it was a good idea dragging him with us."

Mustang smiled to his friend and turned with a frown to the body "But why does he kill? That is the big question."

No one in the room could answer that question. So they walked out the room and Mustang said to the Ishvalan "So tell me mister Kanaan, ever considered becoming a State Alchemist?"

That question confused Shahill, why did Mustang ask him that sort of question "I don´t know, it´s not like the military would let an Ishvalan join their military ranks."

Mustang smirked to the Ishvalan "If you ever consider doing it, come to me and I might be able to help you."

"Thanks for the offer, but… I don´t really have time to be a military dog, even if it´s to the greater good."

Shahill´s red eyes soften "You see… I´m searching for my family, we sort of got separated in the war. And my brother has something there might help this country."

"And how is that search going?" Hughes asked him.

Shahill admitted to him that the search did not go very well, he lacked information.

"Being in the military could probably give you the information you need." Mustang said.

Again Shahill has to decline "I´m sorry, but I can´t. I know I might be able to get the information and money I need to my search, but there are also a great downside on your offer."

"You have to obey orders and willing to kill if you get the order." Mustang said with hard eyes, now understanding why Shahill refuses to join. He would avoid taking another´s life, he is not a soldier.  
"That´s too bad. But I understand" Mustang said and left "stick around, I´m sure you find something useful here, right Hughes?"

Shahill frowned of that comment "What did he mean by that?"

Hughes laughed of the Ishvalan´s face "That´s just Roy for ya!" he turned to Shahill more serious "this may sound like a bit rude, but we can´t have you leave."

Shahill raised a brow. They left the scene and Hughes explained "What I mean is that you might be able to help us with the Ishvalan people."

"Okay I see, but I have a feeling that´s not the only reason" Shahill remarket.

Hughes smirked to him "So you notice? Yeah it isn´t Roy´s only reason, you seems to be a skilled alchemist and Roy need someone like you around him. Because you won´t join the military, it seems like I have to keep you around with what info I can give you about Ishval."

Shahill blinked, seems like this Mustang guy has going some sort of politic game. Whatever this is for, Mustang knew that the Ishvalan could be useful and so did Shahill. Seems like both sides could draw benefits from each other.  
"Alright, I´ll stick around and play soldier for the time being." Shahill said in irony, but that is good enough for Hughes.


	5. Chapter 5: Encountering Scar

Is it very good to draw benefit from someone, but Shahill found it even better if you could become friends with them. He and Hughes became friends and even if Shahill wasn´t sure he could entirely trust Mustang he also saw him as a friend. However, Shahill quickly realized the reason why Mustang wanted him to become a State Alchemist or just a part of the military. It would be impossible for Hughes to show what information he got to Shahill outside the military without someone would notice. So Shahill chose to join the military, but not as a State Alchemist.  
Mustang helped the Ishvalan getting into the military and Hughes influence got the Ishvalan the right apartment. He now works for Hughes. The job is very small and did not give many money, but enough for Shahill to survive and also gave him the opportunity to get those information he needed, although he have to deal with the constant mocking of his race from other soldiers an unfortunately the bulling came from the higher ups.  
Few days after he got his new "job" Shahill notice Hughes frown when he talked over the phone, something is up.  
"I´ll be on my way" he hung up and first now he notices the Ishvalan, without a word he went past Shahill.

"What is going on?" Shahill asked him confused and followed.

Hughes knew there is no reason to hide this "Scar has killed again."

"I´m coming with you."

Hughes stopped, not sure he should allow the Ishval not follow, but… "Alright, but you better hide your eyes. You know how others react on them and I don´t really have time to argue with them."

Shahill nodded and transmuted his glasses so it looked like he has dark brown eyes instead of red.

They arrived to the scene, and right as Hughes has said; Scar has killed again.  
Shahill looked at this soldiers shoulder "He was a Brigadier General." he muttered surprised.

Hughes nodded rose "That´s Basque Grand, also known as the Iron-blood Alchemist. Not even he could handle Scar." he said, scratching his neck asked frustrated "isn´t there anything that can stop him?"

Shahill could not answer; he knew if he and Scar encountered each other, then Scar would kill him in matter of seconds. Hughes sighted suggested they better go to Roy and his team.  
They found Mustang with some of his men down in a hole made by alchemy where a big macho man sat wounded after a big fight.

Hughes jumped down to the hole and almost tripped over all the lose stones, luckily for the Lt. Colonel he found his balance."Close call." he muttered and walked towards Mustang and remarked slightly annoyed "this is turning to a real mess."

"That´s a hell of an understatement." said a tall blond man, one of Mustangs men. "What about Grand?" he asked Hughes.

Hughes frowning said "We found him up on the route few blocks up—let´s just say there will be some promotions, unless the Iron Blood can survive his brain turned into hamburger meat."

"But he was the Brigadier General." pouted the smallest of Mustangs men, a little black haired man with pretty big glasses "he was an expert in hand to hand combat, right?"

Hughes simple shrugged, for what could he say? Scar didn´t seems to care that Basque Grand knew how to fight hand combat. Hughes then turned very serious and motion to Mustang he should come closer, the colonel did and Maes Hughes told "Scar´s memo, no doubt about it."

Mustang wanted to speak more about this growing problem, but he never got the chance for the big macho man spoke "That man… he is an Ishvalan, I´m sure of that I saw his red eyes."

Shahill eyes wide of the big man´s word. Is the killer an Ishvalan? His mind sat the pieces on place: this killer have a scar on his forehead, probably gotten from the war, he was able to take down a experience man in hand to hand combat, meaning he knows to hand to hand combat as well and is very good at it. Last he is an Ishvalan alchemist, but the only one who knows to alchemy is himself, unless… Shahill´s eyes widen in realization. No, it can´t be!

Hughes asked the man to stay down, but the man continued "I´m sorry Lieutenant Colonel, you said it was a direct order and I failed. I hope the Elric is okay." The man´s face hardens. "The brown skin and red eyes, I know the man we´re chasing is from Ishval, I even confronted him about his god!"

Mustang eyes narrowed "Well, well that's a big break in the case Hughes. Now we know why he is killing us."

Hughes nodded, but quickly turned to the sound of running footstep, he saw Shahill vanish and quickly realized that Shahill somehow knew this killer. "I think we got another problem Roy, seems like our new friend knows Scar." He said only loud enough so only Mustang heard it.

Roy turned his eyes up to the place Shahill stood few seconds ago "Then let´s us hope we find Scar before he does, who knows what would happen if he get to Scar first."

* * *

Shahill ran through the city in the heavy rain, horrified of the truth of who this killer really is. How could he become like this? After all he told him about alchemy? Shahill stopped of the sound of gunshot, "…No."  
He quickly ran toward where the sound came from. He ran into a alley where he saw to his horror the man he has for so long been looking for tearing a boy he also cared for automail to pieces with alchemy. Edward fell to the ground and Shahill would have been wondering why Ed have automail and why a big armored man with a big hole on the left side yelled Ed´s name with Alphonse voice. But he did not think of that, all he saw was Scar walking towards Edward. His mind froze of pure disbelief and he barely heard what they are saying.

"No, what are you talking about brother?" yelled the armor "you just said a life don´t equally a life!"

"You stay out of this Al, I´m doing what is fair!" Edward shouted back to the armor. What he said afterward to Scar, Shahill couldn´t hear. His mind almost snapped when the killer Scar pulled down his right sleeve and revealed a tattoo Shahill knows far too well.  
Shahill´s feet began to move and he faster and faster went toward Scar and Edward.  
Just as Scar was about to kill Edward Shahill screamed "No!"

It startled Scar and he turned around to attack the new arrived, he saw a fist come right towards him but he easily dodged it and made himself to strike his attacker down, then he saw Shahill´s angry face, glaring up to him as he protected Edward with his body.  
Scar froze completely and Shahill hissed furies "I never expected you would go this low."

Edward head flew up to his savior and muttered surprised "Shahill?"

But Shahill´s full attention is on Scar there still stood frozen staring in disbelief at him.

"And you said what I did was wrong, have you looked at yourself?" the Ishvalan alchemist continued, never felt so angry before "have you!?" he shouted and to everyone around him shock; he punched Scar right in the face with his automail arm. Even more shocked that Scar didn´t deflect the attack and landed on his butt with a bruise from the punch. Shahill forced him up by grabbing Scar shirt and yelling into his face "What has gotten into you?!"

Scar did not answer, he is still in shock seeing him.

"Shahill, what is going on? Do you know him?" Edward asked confused and Shahill replied still angry and still holding Scar around the collar "The hell I do! This man—"

Scar stopped him by quickly deflect him and almost throwing Shahill into the wall, growling just as angry "You´re asking why I´m doing this? I´m doing it because of you."

"…I did not teach you how to kill" hissed Shahill back, he tried to get free from Scar´s grip but in vain. Scar is far stronger than him. Scar let go of Shahill, he stepped away from the older Ishvalan there muttered angry "Killing others won´t bring them back…"

Scar eyes soften; he turned around and ran away. He only stopped because the military has arrived and they all aimed at him.

"Don´t shoot!" cried Shahill, but he didn´t have to worry. In a roar, Scar slammed his right arm onto the ground and deconstructed a big part and streamed up a lots of smoke, thanks to that he was able to get away.  
Shahill ran to the hole where he and Mustangs men looked down to the sewers, Scar is nowhere to be seen down there. Somehow Shahill felt relieved, even is still pretty angry at him.

"The classic sewer escape" the tall blond on Mustangs team muttered and Mustang ordered not to follow, the tall blond man said with voice full of sarcasm "Dammit, I was about to jump in."

"Nice mess. Is it over yet!" said Hughes who right in this moment has arrived.

Mustang turned to his friend and said slightly annoyed "You know you could help while you're here, Hughes."

And Hughes said just as annoyed "Lay off, I'm as normal as they come and this is a contest of freaks. What do you want me to do, fire my slingshot at him?" he asked and Shahill must admit that Hughes got a point there. Still this freak Hughes is talking about is his…

"Kanaan" called Mustang and walked to Shahill there did not move "From how I saw it, it looked like you knew Scar."

Shahill sighted "I do… please Colonel" he looked into the dark eyes "can´t we talk about this later?"  
Mustang frowned and Shahill added smiling humorless "I just survived an encounter with a mass murder."

"Alright, but you better tell me when we get back" Mustang said and ordered Lieutenant Hawkeye to take crowd control, she nodded and did.

Shahill turned to Edward and the armor with Alphonse voice, both into a augment "Why didn't you run away when I told you to?!" yelled the armor to Edward who shouted back "Because, steel-for-brains, then he would have killed you!"

"So you decided to die instead?! That's really smart!"

"Don't call your older brother an 'idiot', idiot!"

"That's not how we do things!" the armor took Edward red cloak around the collar and lifted him up, saying very hash "Live and be content while we can, live to research more alchemy, so one day we can get our bodies back…"

"Alphonse?"

Edward and the armor both turned to Shahill who now stood before them. The armor let go of Ed and muttered "Shahill, ehm… long time no see."

Shahill did not say a word, he knelled down before the armor, looking into the hole Scar made and found: nothing, this armor is empty. Alphonse is nothing more than a suit of armor and Edward have automail arm like him. Shahill turned his eyes away from them, asked cold "What happed?"

Edward and Alphonse both flinched of the cold question, they looked at each other, then back to the Ishvalan and Edward said sad "Mother, she… she´s dead."

"And you two tried to bring her back?" he turned back to Edward whose face told more than enough, Shahill did not know what he should feel right now. Anger that they did it, sadness they did it because they wanted their mom back or pity of how much they have to pay for the failure.

"We´re sorry" Alphonse said sad and Edward just kept silent.

Shahill head shook his head and left them; Edward stared after him and rather wanted him shouting at them how foolish they are instead of this silence treatment.

Shahill leaned up against a wall, away from all of this; everything is so messed up right now. How could it go so wrong?

* * *

A/N: yeah Shahill things are pretty messed up.  
so how do you readers think of the story so far?


	6. Chapter 6: Central Library

Later that day:  
Shahill found Edward and his brother in Mustangs men's office and Edward held a piece of paper in his left hand. He heard Alphonse ask about a library as he walked to them.  
Both brothers looked up and met Shahill´s sad eyes.  
The Ishvalan sighted sat down beside Edward and said sad "I´m sorry I wasn´t there."

Edward rose a brow of that comment and Shahill added "if I have been there, then maybe you wouldn´t… be like this."

"It´s not your fault." Alphonse said and his older brother agreed "This is our fault and you have every right to be angry at us."

Shahill chuckled to both brothers surprise and the Ishvalan shared his little joke "Well I was, at first. Then sad of your loss and last pity how you two ended up." He smiled weakly back to them "So, Ed, I guess you are the Fullmetal Alchemist I heard so much about."

"That´s right" Edward nodded and asked with a smug "so, what does the rumor say about me?"

"You are the hero of the people, a very skilled alchemist and…" he trailed off, knowing the last one wouldn´t be a good idea telling him.

Edward however wants hear it "Go on."

"You asked for it, the fullmetal alchemist is very short."

Edward face twisted of anger, ready to yell but Shahill stopped him by asking  
"What is this?" He took the piece of paper and read "National central library 1st branch?" he asked the boys and Edward told that he and Alphonse has been searching for a way to regain their bodies back to normal, they are looking for the Philosopher stone.

"It´s told that the stone can make you ignore the laws of equally exchanges." Edward told him and added "and the one who left this note to us might give us the first lead."

Shahill frowned, he have never heard about this stone. Probably because he hasn't been searching for it. "And you are sure this man knows about the stone?"

Alphonse nodded "positive! He had a fake stone, but it was still very powerful. By the way."  
He pointed at the note underneath the first one "What do you think that means?" he asked both Shahill and Edward.  
the last note said "the genuine truth behind truths"

Edward shrugged "You got me" and added "but keep it as a secret." he took the note back to his pocket, muttering they cannot tell this to Colonel Mustang or any others from the state.

"You´re sure this is a good idea?" Alphonse asked and Edward said "Listen Al, I´m not sure we can trust them anymore."

Shahill frowned confused, seems like the military have done something to make Edward distrust them. "Ed, I´m part of the military."

Edward stared shocked at him, Shahill was the last person he expected would join the military.  
Before Ed got the wrong idea, Shahill quickly told he wasn´t a State Alchemist or really a soldier. Hughes has hired him to work for him in the investigation office.

Edward nodded, then he got an idea "Do you think you could help us?"

"I think so, but first tell me what you need"

"Could you see you can find Marcoh research notes in Central library?" Edward asked with hope in his voice. How can he say no to that?

The Ishvalan smiled "I´ll see what I can do, but I need tell Hughes about this. He is my boss after all… well sort of." he added chuckling.

Edward told he could tell Hughes, both brothers trued Maes Hughes enough.  
Later the room got filled with Mustangs men, Hughes and the big macho man named Alex Louis Armstrong, also known as the Arm Strong Alchemist. He stomped to Alphonse who screamed slightly shocked and jumped up on the shelf when Armstrong suddenly took his jacket off and showed his very muscular body. Even Edward followed his brother´s example and Shahill got on his feet. Sitting down and having a big man like Armstrong over your head is not something you want. He is a nice guy but a bit too much outgoing.

Armstrong wanted to help fixing Alphonse with his alchemy "I'll fix him up nice and pretty!"

"Uh! That's okay!" Alphonse said nervous to the muscle man.

"Bonding a soul to steel is no walk in the park."

Everyone in the room turned to Mustang who walked in the room with Hawkeye right behind him. Mustang continued "Fullmetal is the only one that can fix Al now, go ahead ask him."

Edward nodded slightly as all eyes in the room turned to him, this is his burden "But before I do anything I have to get my other arm back…"

Shahill looked down to the broken arm and remarked "You´re lucky it was that arm he took."

Edward nodded, very aware how screwed he would be if Scar have chosen taking his left arm. He smiled very embarrassed as Shahill added "and Winry probably won´t like seeing how you treated her automail either.

"Well, that is an interesting fix, isn't it?" Riza Hawkeye said wondering "I mean, if the great Edward can't use his alchemy."  
And Havoc continued for her "He's just a useless teen with a grumpy-ass-attitude."

"Come on guys, be a little nice to him" Shahill smiled embarrassed, it is true Edward has an attitude problem and a big temper, but he isn´t useless without alchemy.

Edward snorted over the soldiers remark "Anyway, I'll have to take some leave now. I'm going back to my mechanic. You know the one, don't you?" He asked Mustang who also thought it would be funny make some fun at him or just step a little on Edward´s pride "how can I forget? I saw you at her house, unconscious, with that same stump of an arm you have now, bawling in your sleep, "It hurts! I'm going to pee my pants!" So tough." He said with no humor.

Shahill scowled at Mustang from that comment, if he knew how painful getting automail is he wouldn´t make fun of it.

At least Hughes did not make fun of Edward "So where you going to go once you're fixed?" he asked the boy and Edward told they would go to Central, because Edward did not fully trust everyone in the room he said "I've got something to look up in the library there."

"That's a heck of a trip you'll need some protection." Hughes remarked and took his hand up to his chin in thoughts "I would volunteer but… Well, since the Fürher's going straight to Central and I'm part of his escort I can't go."  
Roy told he couldn´t go both because he again is in charge of East command and he needed to look after this place. Hawkeye needed to stay beside Mustang to look after him.

"You could send me, but I don't know how much help I'd be up against a fanatical alchemist serial killer." Havoc said and the three others from Mustang unite said all at the same time they agreed with Havoc.

Shahill looked over to the boys "I would love to go with you boys but… well I need to go with the Lt. Colonel to Central and I too have a certain errand" he and the Elric brother knew what it is.

So the only one left is the Arm Strong Alchemist "That settles it, send me!" he cried out loud and made one big number of himself by pose his big muscular body "I'll protect the boys on their journey for repairs and investigation!"

"We don't need an escort!" Edward yelled really annoyed. Hawkeye got a good argument why he needed one "Really, Ed, what do you plan to do if Scar shows up while you're missing that arm?"

Havoc remarked that Ed couldn´t fight and it is not like he can carry his suit of armor of his brother to safety either.

"Children should listen to adults!" Armstrong said loud and again Edward again yelled angry over being treated like a child "You can't call us children!" he yelled and turned to his brother for support "Al, why don't you stick up for us here!?"

To his great surprise, Alphonse was more than happy to be called a child. If he could, Alphonse would have cried in delight "That is the first time I've been treated like a kid since I became a suit of armor! Thank you!" not the help Edward wanted.  
When that is settle, Armstrong told Edward that the train I leaving soon so he should get packet.

* * *

At the train station stood Alphonse in the back of the train, because Al is broken. Armstrong found it best he should be placed as luggage, with a heed of sheep so he wouldn´t feel lonely. Not what the armored boy excepted.  
"And this is the first time I've been treated like luggage." the boy complained. He turned his head when he suddenly heard Shahill chuckling walk into the cart. "That´s what happen when you are a suit of a broken and talking armor."

Alphonse turned his head away "It´s not funny…" he lifted his head slightly when Shahill friendly nudged Alphonse metal head. "What are you doing here anyway?" he asked the Ishvalan.

"Well, Hughes got some information to Edward about Scar." Shahill muttered while he petted one of the sheep "and because you is alone, unless you count she sheep as company, I thought you needed someone talking too before the train leave."

"Thank you Shahill."

The Ishvalan smiled with a single nod to him "You welcome. While you and Ed get repaired, I will see I can find any information about Marcoh research in Central. Oh, before I forget; could you say hi for Winry for me?" he asked the boy.

Alphonse promises he would do that. Shahill thanked him and left as the train would leave in few moments.  
The train left the train station, Shahill and Maes waved goodbye before they both went back to the command center and back to Central city.

* * *

Finding those research notes seems to be a lot harder than Shahill expected. First he couldn´t come into the library's first branch because he wasn´t a State Alchemist, but lucky Hughes helped him on that point for the Investigation apartment have some of their old cases stored there so Shahill could search for Marcoh´s notes by using he is send in to fetch some of the old cases. Then he encountered the next problem, finding Marcoh´s notes in this place is like finding a certain tree inside a forest. Seems like he isn´t surprise to find this book for them, beside; if he stuck around for too long the workers would suspect he wasn´t only after the case notes.  
He took the case notes Maes wanted and left the huge library, if he ever got the chance he would love to read few of those books.

"So did you get what you were searching for?" Hughes asked him when Shahill delivered the case files.

The Ishvalan sighted sat down beside Hughes desk "No, that place is too big. It would take me weeks to find that book on my own. Of course it would have gone easier if I could ask the Librarian."

"But you can´t because you are not a State Alchemist" finish Hughes for him with his head down in the files.

Shahill nodded as he rubbed his forehead, who could have known searching for one single book could give such a headache?  
The Lieutenant Colonel knew this book is to Edward and he did not ask further question, Shahill told him if he wanted more information of what the boys are doing. He has to take this up with them.

"Anyway, now I´m done with this errand. Is there anything I can help you with?" Shahill asked and almost jumped startled of Hughes cheerful reply "of course! I have the perfect task for you!"

Please don´t let it be the pictures again thought the Ishvalan.  
Yes Shahill has also seen Maes´s picture of his daughter more than once. Who could have known that this man is so insanely love his family that he want to show every picture of them to anyone on his path?

Hughes face turned serious "You know Scar" he said more in matter of fact than question.

Oh good, it wasn´t the pictures. But Shahill knew this conversation would happen sooner or later, well he better get over with it.  
He sighted and said "First, you have to promise me, not to tell anyone else about this" he know that whoever hear this truth, they will freak completely out.

"Sounds like this is personal" remarked Hughes but he promise to keep his mouth shut.

"The man you know as Scar. He is actually my younger brother." Shahill said and got the reaction he expected.  
"— The hell?! He is your—"

"Keep it down" hushed Shahill him and Hughes lowered his voice even he still is pretty shocked  
"Are you telling me that Scar, the mass murder of state alchemists is actually your own brother?"

"When you put it that way, yes" Shahill replied and added hard "you see why I can´t let anyone know? If the truth comes out, the higher ups will probably give me the order to put him down. He won´t attack me."

"I see. But you know there is a good point." Hughes looked around to see anyone unwelcomed listen before he said almost in a whisper to Shahill "He is killing alchemists and anyone who stand in his way. And what you say is right, then you are the only one who can put an end to all of this."

Shahill eyes narrowed "I can´t do that to my own brother."

"What if it´s the only way?"

Shahill groaned turned away from Hughes. What the Lt. Colonel said is right, he is the only one who can stop him, but only because his own brother don´t want to kill him. But if Shahill began follow the military and chase him like he is only a filthy criminal, Shahill feared that their bond would be destroyed and they would kill each other.

"… I can´t do what the military wants" Shahill at last muttered, much to Hughes disbelief.  
"So you are closing your eyes for what he is doing?"

"I said I can´t do what the military probably want me to do" Shahill eyes narrow, it´s going to be tough, but he have to do this "I didn´t say I wouldn´t stop him, I will: in my own way. You have my words"  
and Ishvalans always keep their words.

* * *

It did not take long before the Investigation office got huge work. Thought the night someone sat the library on fire and there was no doubt about it from the eyewitness account: Scar has been involved in this.  
And from the looks of it, it didn´t look like he acted alone. Everywhere there are signs of struggle there got way out of hand. From the looks of the evident, the fight tacked to the sewer and here they found Scar´s stained clothes. Shahill took the bloodstained jacket up with a frown, this did not look good.

"Can you tell me he could survive this?" Hughes asked him.

Shahill isn´t sure, his brother is a warrior of Ishval. He has seen him get beaten pretty badly and still be able to fight.  
"… Not sure, but I know he is tough enough to survive if he has his mind into it."

Hughes nodded; he walked away from the Ishvalan saying something he needed to report this to Mustang.

Shahill simple nodded. He stared long at the broken tunnel to the sewer; his brother may be alive, but very weak from this battle.  
"Darn you." Shahill cursed and jumped down to the sewer. After walking aimless around, searching for any clues, Shahill finally found a blood trace hours later he jumped down into the sewer. He sat his hand on the blood.  
"Not fresh." he muttered when the blood didn´t go off the wall. He followed the blood and stopped slightly when he reached the exit and saw a place full of tents and people, his people.  
Shahill slowly walked to the settlement and through the tents where he saw Ishvalan after Ishvalan. He´s happy he finally found some his people, but he also found something odd. Every one of them has dark hair, not white as he remembers. True Shahill himself somehow got dark hair instead of silver, but he thought he only got it because of a misplaced alchemic reaction when he was unconscious after sacrifice his arm to his brother.  
Shahill chose to wonder about this later, right now he need find his brother. He began asking people and it did not take long before a old man who cared for two young boys told him he have seen his brother.

"Come with me" the old man said and Shahill followed him to one of the tents where the Ishvalan saw his brother; badly wounded. Shahill quickly walked over to him and the old man said "From the looks in your eyes, I say you share a deep bond with him."

"I do" Shahill replied and gentle sat his automail hand at his brother´s head "Don´t you dare die on me." he muttered before he left the tent.  
He asked the old man if this camp got medicine and the old man told they have, but they got nothing to treat the wounds, only to dull the pain. He also told they couldn´t just walk into the city and buy it.  
Shahill scratched his neck, knowing that buying too much medicine in the city would make people to wonder and look. He needed something the people could use without being noticed. Then he remembered what Kalinda and her mother taught him, there exits plants and herbs there worked just as good as medicine.

"I think I got something you can use without going into town" and Shahill told about the herbs, and suggested he could make an herb garden if someone around here knew what he needed to plant. The old man found this as a brilliant idea and he found an elder woman who knows a great deal about healing plant.  
She gave Shahill a list and the Ishvalan alchemist went to a clearing near the river the Settlement is nearby "Is this a good place?" he asked the old woman. She checked the soil and nodded, a little confused why he asked.  
Shahill nodded and sat his hand on the ground, the old woman asked confused "What are you doing?"

"Giving you the herbs you need"

"… You need seeds to do that dear, not to mention time."

He performed the transmutation "We don´t have time, you need these herbs now."

The old woman eyes wide when the transmutation made herbs she asked for grow up from the soil and ready to be harvest. She took shocked a step away from Shahill "You did alchemy."  
He did not answer.  
The old woman wasn´t sure how to react, her first thought that this is heretic and against Ishvala, then she remembered how much they needed this and this young Ishvalan did only do this to help. She relaxed a little and asked him "You do know alchemy is against—"

"I don´t want to rebel Ishvala" he stopped her and muttered unsure this is the right thing "I want to help people understand that alchemy is not evil… it can save life." to his surprise the old woman sat gentle a hand on his shoulder and smiled down to him "Well, you made a old woman see there are other ways than just one." She began harvesting the herbs she needed.  
"Thank you" and added asking "something you need me to make my dear?"

Shahill smiled happy over this actually worked "If you could make something to heal a wound faster I would be grateful."

* * *

A/N: Because neither the manga or anime tells how much Scar´s brother can of alchemy I just guessed he knows enough of biology alchemy to make herbs. beside it is a good way to make people to accept it if you use it to good.


	7. Chapter 7: Brothers

Scar woke up and found himself inside a tent, lying in bed and with his injuries bandaged. His first thought is how he did end up here, the next of who has helped him. The tent door open and to his great surprise stood his older brother. How in Isvala´s name did he find him? the last time they saw each other was in Eat city and that wasn´t exactly pleasured.

Shahill sighted in relief and walked in "How are you feeling?" he asked the still surprised Scar.

"How did you find me?" Scar asked instead and Shahill summoned up like it was nothing of what he has done "Well you did blow a library up and leaving brig walls as bread crumbs, not to mention the blood trail you left behind." he sighted and asked slightly angry "so I got one question: why?"

Scar blinked, he turned his eyes away from his older, not sure what to say in his defense. That he wanted to kill the boy he protected, waiting for him in the library? Or what about the two Homunculi he encountered tried to kill him? No it´s better he stay out from this.

"I got my reasons" he simple said.

Shahill groaned annoyed "You tried to kill someone"

"I´m only killing the State Alchemists, they go against god´s will" Scar said.  
Shahill encountered this easily "Ishvala is not their god, they believe in the way of science and you can´t use god as an excuse doing murder."

Scar eyes narrowed, he sat up even his ribs hurts "They killed our people."

"Yes and I know how much it hurt, but you can´t kill every State Alchemist. Half of them wasn´t even in the war and has never done us wrong." Shahill said and added "you seek for revenges, kill everything on your path, does it make you better than them?"

Scar froze, he haven´t thought of it that way.

"You cannot kill them because of this, it´s not entirely their fault" Shahill told him. He knows than most of those who were in that war more than ever regret and have, like himself nightmares about it.

"So you want me to just forgive them? Of all they have done to us?" Scar growled, he do not understand why his brother protects them.

His brother shook his head "I didn´t say forgive, you have to endure that pain like everyone else. You can´t forgive them slaughter our people… Like I can´t forgive you from killing them."

Scar´s eyes wide and Shahill said hard and slightly angry "I cannot forgive you in what you have done" his voice soften "still, I can´t hate you either. You are my brother after all."

Scar head fell slightly, for the first time since his path on revenge he felt bad over what he has done. Shahill sighted and said kinder "When you feel better, you should come outside."

Scar nodded and slowly got on his feet to his brother´s surprise.  
"I didn´t say right now" chuckled his brother, but he didn´t stop him and the two brothers walked outside the tent. Here saw Scar for the first time since the war the Ishvalan people. A little boy ran over to them, he looked relieved that Scar is up and Shahill told his younger brother that this kid name is Rick has helped tend to his wounds.  
Scar shortly thanked the boy and thought out loud "I never expected so many from Ishval survived the massacre"  
The word massacre could pretty much suit how to describe the war, but Shahill just found the word too real for his taste, he preferred just say war. Still their people survived and many of them got away "Well what did you expect? We are Ishvalan. Tough are our middle name… okay I´m not tough as you, but still." Shahill added chuckling embarrassed.

Scar raised a brow of his brother, it has been such a long time he last saw this optimism side from his older brother. He smiled weakly and said "You´ve change."

"You are the one who change" Shahill gave back "I didn´t go berserk and kill everyone"

Shahill chuckled and walked down to the river, he stopped at the shore, staring down to his reflection "I´m still mad at you of what you have done, but…" he turned to his younger brother who stood behind him, not sure what to do "I´m happy I found you."

"…How did you survive?" Scar asked him and walked up beside him, he saw him die. Right in front of him.

"I have no idea, last thing I remember is waking up by a pair of nice doctors" Shahill admitted and added with a smirk "both doctors was from Amestris"

"Was?" Scar asked with a frown and Shahill told the doctors died under the war and left their daughter orphan, he was there when she got the letter and stayed with her because she needed comfort. He also told that this girl is friend with the Elric brothers so that´s the reason he knew and cared for them "Those three kids are like family to me, and they have lost so much already."

Scar did not know, now he isn´t so sure he should keep walking on this path he chose. Everything is so confusing for him, his brother is still alive. Edward Elric only became a State Alchemist because he wants to redeem his mistake from trying bringing his deceased mother back. Still, there is one thing he is still very sure of: Edward Elric chases something very dangerous and he felt the need to stop him before he figured out how to make one.  
"Brother, Edward Elric is searching for the Philosopher Stone" he told.

Shahill knew that, but he wasn´t completely sure what it is "They told me, although I´m not entirely certain if it can help them or how they get one."

"That stone is pure evil!"

Shahill rose a brow from his younger brother´s sudden angry outburst, it sounded almost the same angry outburst his younger brother uses when he talked too much about alchemy.

"I have to stop them"

"And how are you planning to stop them?" the alchemist asked with narrowed eyes, he didn´t fully trust his brother´s intention, he still sees the killer inside those red eyes there use to show great strength and honor. "If you´re planning to kill them like the rest I´m afraid I have to stop you."

He thought as much, Scar wanted to stop the brothers in their path after the stone but he wasn´t sure he would anymore, he feared if he kept going this way he will lose his brother a lot harder way than just seeing him die.  
"Please brother, you don´t understand."

No he did not understand this, but he intend to "Probably not, but I´m going with you. Seems like I´m going to ask the Elrics some questions."  
Scar smiled weakly and is happy that his brother wanted to follow him despite of what he has done, even if it´s only to keep an eye on him.

* * *

Shahill and Scar left the Ishvalan camp as soon Scar got better. Shahill wanted they waited a bit longer but he knew that his younger brother can be pretty stubborn and ague with him about this is futile.  
So the best the older brother could do is to pack some pain-killer potions the old woman have been so kind making to him and extra bandage if things turns ugly.  
After that the two brothers went into the city and Shahill walked to the first payphone he saw and called the Lt. Colonel to get some quick info where the Elric brother might be now. Scar frowned said "It´s not the time to make a call brother."

"Yes it is" Shahill said and smirked back to him "for I got some "friends" inside the military"

Scar rose a brow, slightly surprised that his brother has been able to get inside the military.  
Shahill asked his brother not to speak as he took the call, seconds later he heard a woman voice and Shahill said "I need to speak with Lieutenant Colonel Hughes."

_"A moment please"_ said the woman and after a short waiting time he got Hughes on the line.  
_"Hey Kanaan! Where have you been these few days?"_ said Hughes a bit cheerful, but Shahill could also hear that the Lt. Colonel has been worried.

Shahill smiled "Oh, not much, only that I found my brother and we got things sorted out." he couldn´t say the name Scar or his younger brother´s real name in the phone. Hughes have warned Shahill that the lines could be tapped so it´s best talk in code or just enough so the receiver understood and others did not.  
_  
"Sounds great, so he won´t cause more trouble for me then?"  
_  
Shahill turned to his brother "My military friend ask you´re planning causing more trouble?"

Scar´s confused face is so to say: hilarious. He did not at all get what´s going on, but he did get that trouble meant killing. "Only if the military begin kill our people again."

That´s understandable enough thought Shahill. Everyone would kill if they did not have any choice, even he.  
Shahill turned back to the phone "He won´t, so long those he has been chasing will stop bugging our family."  
_  
"That sounds fair" _Hughes admitted and added cheerful again _"you just saved me for hours of work, but" _his voice turned serious _"You do know he sooner or later have to answer for what he has done."  
_  
"I know" Shahill said and asked "do you know where I can find Elric?"

A moment of silence and Hughes replied _"Last time I saw them it was in the main library… what are you planning?" _Hughes asked, sounding suspicions. "You´re not planning to—"  
"Of course not, I told you that is over." Shahill cut him and said to the Lt. Colonel that he only wants know something about their search for the stone. "I smell a rat about this stone talk and I want to know why."  
_  
"…Alright, good luck." _Hughes said and hung up.

Shahill did too and turned to his brother "They are at the library."

Scar nodded and both men walked to the place.  
However, getting inside will not be an easy matter. The whole building got guards to protect the brothers from Scar.

"What now brother?" Scar asked, knowing that there is no way his older brother will approve a front attack.  
Shahill stroke his chin in thoughts "Hmm… I got it!" he said with a grin, this little plan will make sure no one gets hurt.

* * *

A/N: this maybe is kind of short but it´s only because the next chapter will be pretty long.

I got some of this "not forgiveness" scene from the Manga.  
where Scar´s master tells him that no one can forgive for murder but you can´t either go out and kill in anger and make a senseless circle of revenge.  
I think it worked for Shahill as well.

by the way, do you want me to say what name I gave Scar or do you just want me to keep calling him Scar? it´s not like Shahill call him by name.


	8. Chapter 8: The 5th laboratory

Shahill walked inside the library alone and because some of the men knew he worked for Lieutenant Colonel Hughes; they let him in. He stopped slightly when he saw two soldiers from Hughes unit, he haven´t seen much to them so he isn´t sure what their names is. The woman with raven hair talked into the phone whiles her partner, a tall blond man with almost same hairstyle as Edward stood beside with a nervous look painted all over his face. He chose not to disturb them in whatever they were doing and went up to where Edward and Alphonse´s room should be. He encountered two guards, again both from Hughes unit and with a single nod to them, they let him pass.  
Shahill walked inside the room and found to his surprise the room: empty. With a swift scanning of the room Shahill quickly discovered that Ed and Al have snuck out right under their guardians nose like he have snuck in.  
The Ishvalan walked to the window, called for his brother and seconds later stood Scar inside the room by using the robe the Elric brothers have used to get out.

"You alright?" Shahill asked his younger brother who seems to struggle standing on his feet.

"I´m fine" Scar said but Shahill isn´t convinced. He literary ordered his brother to sit down to rest, while he looked at the notes the Elric brothers left behind.

"… This is terrible!" Shahill said out loud in disbelief after reading few pages and said to his brother who sat on the sofa "In order to forge a stone you need to sacrifice living human." he turned to his brother "You´re right, this stone is pure evil."  
And to think the Elric brothers are chasing this thing. are they really this desperate?

Scar nodded hard in agreement, he turned his eyes down to the town map and notice a ring around a building "Brother" he said and Shahill too looked at the map.

"I see, this is where they are going, laboratory five. But why?" Shahill asked confused, why that place? His eyes wide, he just remembers something. That note Edward showed him before he went to Resembool, "the genuine truth behind truths" he muttered and took an extra look at the map, there is a prison next door to that laboratory. Seems like the military not only have a rotten past about Ishval, they still have it.

Scar rose from the couch "Let´s go."

"Right" Shahill nodded, he and Scar almost froze in the spot when they suddenly heard running footstep towards the room. "Did anyone see you?" asked Shahill and Scar admitted "I did not check."  
The door open and Shahill feared how Hughes´s men´s would react when they sees him with the mass murder Scar. But before the door open, Scar suddenly (much to Shahill´s surprise) punched him down as if he is attacking just as the military open the door.

"Scar, freeze!" the woman yelled, she and her men pointed their gun at him. Before they could shoot him, Scar jumped out from the window and ran away.

"Are you alright?" asked the blond man and helped Shahill up, the Ishvalan nodded slowly. Now he understood why his brother attacked him, to save him from being seen as a criminal.

"How did he get in? And what about Ed and Al?!" asked the female Lieutenant frustrated over Scar got away. One of the men showed her the robe "Here is a good clue."

The Lieutenant walked to the robe, cursed with a sight "Darn those two."  
She ordered her men to set after Scar before she turned to Shahill "What are you doing here? Who are you?" she question demanding.

Shahill got up on his feet "My name is Shahill Kanaan, I´m working for Lt. Colonel Hughes. I came here to talk with the Elric brother." he told her and added he and the Elric brother knows each other from the past.  
That is enough for her to know. She nodded, asked him to leave this to them before her and the unit left the room.

Shahill unnoticed by the military ran out from the Library, unlike the military; he did not need to ask for permission. Okay he will probably lose his job because of this, but he does not need it anymore, he got what he wanted. He ran to the 5th laboratory and after searching a little while he found his brother waiting for him.

Scar showed his older brother, he have found a way in this fortress. Seems like the Elric brothers have removed a part of the walls barbed wire and make it able to get over without getting cut.  
The two brothers looked at each other, nodded and Scar helped his brother up and he himself jumped and Shahill catch his hand and dragged him up. Both jumped down on the other side and heard to their surprise someone yell happily insane "I kill therefore I am!"

Shahill turned to the voice and got one heck of a shock, a pretty scary looking armored man charge towards them with a butcher knife lifted to cut them, yelling "Whatever I´m real or human doesn't matter. I´m a killer and that´s all I need to know!" He attacked, but before the attack could finish, Scar grabbed the armored man´s arm much to the insane killer´s surprise.  
Shahill sighted in relief and turned his head to Alphonse who sounded very surprised to see him with Scar "What are you doing here?"

The armor Scar hold turned to Alphonse "You know these guys?" he asked and angrily flapped with his free arm "No fair, you didn´t say you had other allies around!"

"Allies?" Scar asked surprised and turned to his brother who slightly shrugged with a smile. Apparently the armored killer wanted that kind of reaction "Got ya" he said and turned to attack him.  
Scar growled and reacted by using his right arm. In matter of seconds the armored man lost his right arm, but he looked alright and Shahill notice that he too is empty.

The armor freaked when he saw his arm is gone and Scar walked to it "So you are in that pitiful body as well." He said to the armor, he turned to his brother who shook his head.  
Scar frowned "I would gladly have send you to our creator, but if I did. I will break my promise to my brother."

"Scar is your brother?" Alphonse asked shocked.

Shahill smiled weakly back to him, it faded as his red eyes turned down to the stunned armor "Tell me… whoever you are." he wasn´t sure this armor cared what he called it, and it isn´t like he know who he once were "Who did this to you and what is going on behind these walls?"

The armor got over the shock over losing his arm "And why should I tell you that? It´s not like you can do anything to stop it."

"Tell him!" Scar shouted and tried grab the armor, but it quickly jumped away. "If you know anything, tell us now!" he demanded, and threaten the armor he will tear him apart if he didn´t tell.

Alphonse turned his head to Shahill who stayed calm; imitation might work on this thing. He watched the other armor scratch his neck "I see… you are just dying to know the truth, aren´t you? Let me see…" he turned around to the building wall, muttering and chuckling as if he is thinking over he should tell them or not. Something about his acting made Shahill uneasy, something is not right.  
And right, the armor turned around and said cheerful "I´m not going to tell you." Without them noticing it before now, the armor have found a hidden button and pushed it. The trio watched the building light dangerously up and before they know what´s going on, the whole place blew up.

* * *

Scar and Alphonse lied on the ground; they both looked up and saw they all have been shielded against the worst of the explosion thanks to Shahill´s shield of a stone wall around them. The Ishvalan Alchemist turned to them with a worried look as he let the stone return back to its original place on the ground. However he and the two others turned to the laughing armor who dances cheerful around laughing on the brigs the explosion have blown off the building "This building is loaded with explosions, so I can bury everything and anytime I want!" He told and rudely smacks his own butt before them. "And now, I must bid you farewell" he said with a sugar sweet voice, turned around and leaped into the building, yelling still as cheerful as ever that if they want to know about this place they have to get inside and find out themselves.  
Shahill glared after the armor while Alphonse muttered disappointed "He got away."

Scar snorted got on his feet and followed the armor. Shahill gave Alphonse one single glance before he followed his brother.

"Hey wait, for me!" called Alphonse and quickly followed the two Ishvalan brothers.  
"Hey, umm" Alphonse started inside one of the many corridors inside the laboratory "I was wondering you could stop; hunting down my brother."

Shahill glanced to his brother, a glance telling the younger Ishvalan keeping the promise he made.

Scar sighted, muttered "Alright." to Shahill before saying to Alphonse "I still see alchemy as heretic against god but I promised my brother that I won´t kill any more alchemist. Still I can´t ignore what your brother is seeking the Philosopher stone."

"But why is alchemy so bad?" Alphonse asked, he turned to Shahill "I mean, you both uses it."  
then the armored boy turned his eyes down to Scar´s arm adding that he have a transmutation circle on it "Although I have never seen one like yours ever before."

"I made it" Shahill told the boy with a weak smile "I combined Amestrian alchemy with Xingese alkahestry. Right arm deconstructed while the left reconstruct."  
Both Scar and Alphonse looked surprised over this. Alphonse is because he have never heard of two kind of alchemy mixed into one powerful while for Scar surprise is because it wasn´t how he remember it being made. "I gave my right arm of deconstruction to my brother after he got badly wounded in the war, I should have kept the reconstruction, but somehow the markings and my research is gone" Shahill frowned down to his left where there is no sign of a tattoo, he lifted his automail where another transmutation array are. "It succeed me reconstruct my research on my automail arm so I can transmute without drawing a circle, but somehow the alchemy is now different. This meant I had to create another transmutation array."  
He turned around to Alphonse "But tell me Al, why are you and Edward seeking the Philosopher stone, are you really so desperate you are willing to kill for it?"

Alphonse did not expect that, then again; it seems Shahill almost knew a little more about alchemy than they did. He shook his head to the Ishvalan "No, we came here to see there are other ways making one. We have come too far to stop now."

Scar sighted "You don´t know the horror of the philosopher stone."

"But we do!" pouted Alphonse to the killer "legend say that those who get too close to the stone will perish, right?"

Then why in Ishvala´s name would Ed and Al try find this thing if they would perish? Thought Shahill confused.

"But if we were afraid, we wouldn´t learn anything!" Alphonse continued, he realize something he heard a while back ago "Huh, now that I think about it. I heard that Ishval was destroyed because of someone got too close to the sto—"

"Lairs!" Scar suddenly stopped him angry "Ishval did not perish of the evil of the stone, it was destroyed by another…"

Okay this is just so wrong, there has never been a Philosopher stone near Ishval… or has it? Now that Shahill think about it, it is pretty strange how much damage that State Alchemist could cause with one single attack. If what Edward told him is right, then the stone can amplifier the user's alchemy, make you by pass the laws of equaling exchanges…The stone has been in Ishval! And he and his family saw its power in first hand!  
Shahill turned to his trembling brother; he gentle sat his left hand on his younger brother´s right arm. He felt sorry for him, it seems like the war have not just giving him scar on the body, but far deeper one in the soul. Scar removed his pained eyes away from his arm and up to his brother, opening his mouth to speak but never got the changes.

"My my my" suddenly a woman voice said. The trio turned around to the door where a very beautiful woman stood up against the door with a kind of short and very fat man beside her. "This day is just filled with unpleasured interruptions."

"Who are they?" asked Alphonse. He turned to Shahill who looks pretty shocked seeing this woman "Shahill?"

Scar glanced to his brother, seems like he too recognized her face.

Shahill took a step towards the woman "It can´t be… how is it you have her face?"

The woman did not look much pleasured of his question.

Shahill shook his head, this just can´t be "Why do you look like her?!" he asked confused. This woman face is exactly like Kalinda, but his mind told it isn´t her. The eyes on this woman are too cold and lacked the red all Ishvalan have. Her hair is dark instead of her white-grey and too long as well, plus Kalinda loves to put her hair up.

"What are you talking about?" the woman asked not at all impressed over his yelling, but it just confused Shahill even more, she even have Kalinda´s voice. The fat man asked with a childish grin "Can I eat them now?"

The woman smirked stepped away from the door "I don´t know, the armored one might give you indigestion."

"I still want to try." the man said drooling.

Are they serious?! That´s Shahill thought as he heard how laid-back they talked about eating them, no matter how alike she looks to Kalinda, this woman is nothing like her.

"Homunculi" Scar suddenly said, surprisingly calm much to the two others surprise.

"What, homunculi?" Alphonse recognized the word "they couldn´t be!"

Shahill stared at them, completely clueless of what those two is talking about. But one thing for sure, these two "homunculi" surely is up to no good. Seconds later shaped the woman´s finger like spears and the fat man open his mouth in delight and without a warning he attacked.  
Alphonse tried deflecting the charge but the fat homunculi´s stronger than he appeared to and with ease, he tackled Alphonse and Shahill into the next room while the woman kept Scar away from the two others.

Scar tried to attack her, but she too is faster and stronger than appears and before he even got the changes to get near her. Her partner jumped out from the hole and the two Homunculi shifted opponents. Now Scar have to deal with the cannibalism monster and he isn´t sure he could hold him off or defeat him with his wounds.

Meanwhile Alphonse helped Shahill up on his feat, the Ishvalan world spin rapidly from the fat homunculi tackle.  
The woman walked inside with a sweet smile over her face. Alphonse would have glared at her if he got any real eyes as he hold the still very dizzy Ishvalan.

"I´ve been watching you child." the woman homunculus said and told the first time she caught a glimpse of the two Elric brothers was four years ago. "The sky was blazed with fireworks that night."

Alphonse gasped, he remembering seeing her but why did she keep showing up? "Who are you?" he asked slightly terrified "he called you a homunculus, but that can´t be."

She smiled simple to him, asking "Oh really, and why is that?"

"Homunculus is an artificial created human. A human that´s not human, a living doll!" Alphonse said to her "No one ever succeed make one before, it´s impossible."

Shahill who still haven´t got fully around from the tackle turned slowly his eyes to her, if what Alphonse said is right, then what is she?

"Oh it´s very possible, believe me." the woman said calmly to the boy and added that being a homunculus it´s just as real as Alphonse could be a soul attached to a suit of armor. She attacked Alphonse with her finger, forced him throw Shahill away in order to save him. The fingers trapped Alphonse and forced him into a wall, he cannot move.

"Alphonse!" cried Shahill on the ground, turning angrily to the female "Leave this boy alone, he has done you nothing!"

"True, but I need this one if his brother don´t do what we want." the homunculus said and to both Al and Shahill shock arrived the fat homunculus behind Alphonse, chewed thought the wall like it is nothing but butter.  
Drooling he grabbed around Alphonse arm "Oh goodie, can I eat him now?" he asked and took a bite on Alphonse arm and like the wall he chewed the metal off like it is nothing with his powerful jaws and acid saliva.

Alphonse couldn´t do anything but watch the homunculus chew his body, but Shahill refuses letting harm get this boy. He got on his feet "Leave. Him. Alone!" he slammed his hand on the ground and made a small earthquake to swallow the fat homunculus. The fat homunculus jumped away from the attack, releasing Alphonse from his grip with only one arm lost.

But before Shahill could do any more, his attack got stopped by the female who pieces his automail and shoulder with her fingers. Shahill cried in pain as the finger pieces thought his flesh on his shoulder.  
"My, my, an alchemist from Ishval." the woman chuckled and turned to her partner who again got Alphonse.

The armored boy tried fighting him off, but the woman knew just the trick to make him stop "I suggest you stay still, unless you wish I take the rest of his arm."  
Shahill cried from the pain as the finger bored deeper into his shoulder of flesh and bone.  
Alphonse gasped, but he did not move. Just as she wanted.

* * *

A/N: wow this is a long one! but I guess you readers wouldn´t mind.

if you are confused on who Kalinda is then here is some clues, Kalinda is Shahill´s wife. before the war reached their home Shahill asked her to flee with her family instead of staying with him as she rather would.  
I created Kalinda to the 2009 storyline, but if she was in this story there is based on the 2003 story, then she wold have been Lust.

hope that explains a little.


	9. Chapter 9: Taking action

"What are you doing calling this late?" Maes Hughes asked still in his pajamas, pretty annoying from missing his beauty sleep. His friend Mustang said on the other side pretty causally _"Well there has been something bothering me for a while."  
_  
"What, that Marcoh has been taken into the Führer custody or that we haven´t caught Scar yet?" Hughes asked, knowing full well that the last isn´t really no longer a problem, thanks to their Ishvalan friend. Who should have known that exactly the Ishvalan they ally themselves with shows up to be the one who stops Scar´s mass murdering?

_"Well okay, that´s too"_ Mustang admitted but added "but mostly because I haven´t making an appearance lately."  
Without another word to Roy, Maes annoyed hung up the phone "What a ignorant maniac." he muttered and complained that Mustang not yet have realized what mess they are in.

"Maybe you should have informed him. Colonel Mustang could give us some help here." suggested Major Armstrong him, standing in the room with two other soldiers; waiting for their orders.

Maes turned his eyes to three of his men, all fully dressed in their military uniforms: Major Armstrong, Lieutenant Ross and her partner Sergeant Brosh.

"At least with the Elric disappearance" Armstrong said, but Maes did not think that´s a good idea. Knowing his friend Roy, he would take the first train to Central to help out and forgetting about his own goal. Not to mention he also have to hear Mustang´s complain why he has been kept in the dark "He doesn't need to know that, not yet, right?"

His men did not answer so he added mostly to Ross "The soldier squad I attached to guard the library is standing by now." He took his hand out like it´s a gun "They´re all gifted marksmen and darn useful on a range."

Maria Ross sounded very relieved when she asked "Does that means?..."

"It does" Maes said to all of them "on my permission, you three can leave to a full dive and sweep lab five at daybreak" and added darn seriously "But you better be ready to confront on whatever you find."

"Yes sir!" his men said in a salute. Now that´s done, can he get some sleep now?  
Unfortunately he could not, so after getting proper dressed Maes and his entire squad ran towards the command centers exit, they only stopped because (to all surprise) the Führer stepped outside. Maes and all his men quickly saluted their leader who walked to them, not dressed except from nightwear. "Well, you are working overtime aren´t you?" the Führer remarked calm.

"Führer, I apologized for the disturbance" Maes quickly said and lowered his hand as the Führer King Bradley said "I know you´re eager get to the button of this business of laboratory five."

How did he know?! Maes thought shocked, isn´t there anything this man did not know?  
As if Bradley read his thoughts the Führer said "I heard rumors over the years, but turned my blind eye to it. I trusted Basque Grand has been doing it for the state" the Führer told, still too calm. "However, if those two lives of alchemists are in danger I can´t just stand by and watch. I´ll give the Major a battalion and I will personally accompany you, you won´t go on alone." he finish and every soldier saluted him happy over their own leader wanted to help them. Maes in the other hand smells a rat, this whole case feels wrong and the Führer did not make it any better.

* * *

"And what about the scarred man?" asked the woman calm, sitting on Alphonse who now got nothing more than his body of plate and head, his arm and legs has been chewed away by the fat homunculus. The woman have let go of Shahill with her spear-like fingers, she did not see him as a threat anymore. He lost so much blood by her stab, he have trouble just staying conscious.

"He fell into the bad place" the fat homunculus told her. The woman snorted, not really surprised she said to her partner "That´s no big loss" and added "Greed may show up and interrupt anything every moment. We gotta get Fullmetal to hurry up while we can."  
She glanced down to Alphonse with a smirk, knowing that the older brother would do anything to save his younger brother.

Shahill open his eyes, even his correctly state he heard every word and understood that he and Al just is pawns to be played with if Edward refuses to do what they want: create the philosopher stone. And sadly… neither he nor Alphonse couldn´t do anything to stop them.  
Suddenly the whole place trembled from some sort of an explosion. The woman and her fat partner looked around for this is not a part of their plan. The woman rose and told the other Homunculus "Take metal boy."

"Okay" said the fat one and took Alphonse head and dragged him after the woman.  
Shahill did not move, he knew a frontal attack would just mean the end of his life. not to mention he couldn´t do because he is too weak from losing so much blood.

The two Homunculi left the room. After a little while it succeed Shahill to gather up his strength to this next action, he groaned in pain and almost passes out again from it but succeed him to get on his feet and staggered towards the door.


	10. Chapter 10: Uncontrolled

Edward slowly worked on the transmutation to forging the Philosopher stone, he only did it because if he did not: the Homunculi will kill the only family he got left.

"That´s it, you can do it kid; I have faith." the woman homunculus said, certain he will take the life of the prisoner they, before the explosion destroyed the ceiling planted above the transmutation. When Edward figured out that they planned to use him to sacrifice them he refused, but he stopped resisting the second the female homunculus threaten to kill his younger brother.

"This is crazy!" yelled Alphonse to his brother, shocked over his brother is willing to do it just to save him. Alphonse mind has been clouded by the other armor from outside; the former killer went so far that he told Alphonse that he wasn´t a real boy. But only a fake imitation of the real Alphonse Elric, is has been enough for the boy to doubt what he really is.

Edward walked to the circle, turned to the prisoners with a dull look, trying not to see them as humans as himself. Everything he is going to transmute has once been a living breathing human like himself, but is their lives really more worth than his brother?

"Don´t do this brother" begged Alphonse "those people- they´re humans!"

"Yeah? And soon you and I will be" said another homunculi. This one is male, a slender teenager with long wispy dark green hair "So what´s your problem?" he asked, like the two others; he did not care for others lives so long he got what he wanted.

"I don´t want to get my old body back if it means taking another´s life!" Alphonse cried out loud.

The slender homunculus laughed and said cold "I thought for sure you would have gotten the message from your… pathetic attempt to bring back mommy." He grinned back to the boy, not seeing another figure standing at the door, watching the whole scene but too weak to make a move.  
"You gotta spend life to make life. Come on! This basic alchemy here." the teenager still grinning "Don´t kid yourself to think there is some way around, cause there´s not! As they said: death is the highest cost of living."

"In order to active anything in life you have to take it from someone else." the woman said smug "that what every honest adult knows."

Shahill frowned; they really have to turn how you see the world into one big fight of getting the best. True, sometimes you have to fight to get what you want. But it doesn't mean you can´t share it with others and give the price of joy to those you care for; let anyone get a small part instead taking all by yourself. That´s just selfish.

Alphonse pouted he and Ed isn´t adults but the woman will not hear that as an excuse "When Edward decided to join the military and becoming a State Alchemist. He gave up all claim of childhood in exchange for power. So don´t behave like a child now! For you can´t have it in both ways."

Okay that´s just cruel from her side. Thought Shahill, for even Edward is a State Alchemist and Alphonse is only a soul inside armor. He still considers them as children, children who need all the support they can get.

"I see now" Edward muttered, almost impossible for the Ishvalan to catch up "So this is the truth, behind all truth."  
Hesitatingly he clapped his left hand against his paralyzed right, readying himself to transmute. He knelled down, again hesitating he slowly took his hand towards the transmutation circle.  
Everyone in the room stared at the hand, some with horror and hope he wouldn´t do it, others with delightful eager.  
Edward stopped and removed his hand from the circle "Sorry Al… " his head fell "I just can´t do it…"

The slender homunculus sighted really annoying and walked to Edward to punch some senses into him, but before he even got close. A wall got blown to pieces and the trembling afterward made the tanks with red water crack and allows the incomplete stone to spill out on the floor. Another wall broke down and even more water arrived, the woman homunculus stepped quickly away, she did not want red water all over herself.  
The prisoners jumped startled away from the water, afraid what it might do to them if they touched it.  
Edward looked shocked over what just happed.

"Fullmetal alchemist!" Edward turned around and saw who has done all this: Scar. "Take your brother and get out from here!" The Ishvalan said.

Edward frowned angry and yelled back "I don´t need your help!"

"Edward listen to him!"

the boy alchemist turned around again, this time he saw Shahill arrived, using alchemy to force the slender homunculus away "Your brother needs you!" he yelled to the boy.

Edward nodded, he´s a little confused why Shahill, who not long ago literally attacked Scar in East City, now suddenly agree with him. But, he rather want listen to Shahill than Scar. He nodded short to Shahill and ran to his brother, but the woman homunculus did not want him to leave just yet "Oh no you don´t!" she said angry "you aren´t leaving before you finish on what you started!"

Edward ignored her, he ran over the water there was spilled all over the floor. In that second he made contact with the incomplete stone it reacted on him or rather on his alchemy. Blue light surrounded the boy who bare could comprehend the whole thing, he screaming tried to get free from this reaction, but his mind soon went blank of the awesome pressure the incomplete stone pushed on him. He pointed his automail arm at the woman homunculus and it transmuted into a harpoon and attacked her.

Lust dodged the attack but she isn't happy over what just happening to the boy.  
She shielded herself if he would attack again "That´s not good, even though it's unrefined; this much exposure to the stone material could turn the boy into a god."

Shahill heard all of it and watched Edward attack with spears made of stones, forcing the homunculi and a weird looking chimera to flee away from the scene.  
"Edward!" cried Shahill and tried to get close, but his brother stopped him "If you get too close, who knows what would happen!"  
Shahill turned angrily to him "I can´t just stand and watch him die!" he turned his head to the door of the sound of running footstep and three of Hughes men arrived.

"Fullmetal sir!" called the Lieutenant and the tall macho man said just as Shahill have seen and why he couldn´t go in and help "The boy´s alchemic powers multiple rapidly"  
the very same will happen to all alchemists who gets too close.

The woman walked in even her partner tried to stop her. Because she did not know about alchemy, the reaction didn´t harm her, still the power around Edward is so powerful she have lots of trouble just walking over to him. However, it succeeds her and the female soldier sat her arm around Edward as a shield against harm. It calmed Edward down and the alchemic reaction to the water slowly stopped.

Shahill smiled in relief, good that is finally over. He nodded to his brother and they both turned to leave.

"Kanaan!" called Armstrong.

Shahill and Scar stopped but only the older brother looked back as Armstrong said "I don´t know why you are with him, but I can´t let you leave. Especially not you Scar."

Shahill knew this have to happen, now´s the time to chose side "I have to disagree, sorry my friends." before Armstrong could make a move, Shahill sat his right hand on a wall and sealed the hole he and his brother went through. Both brothers ran quickly as they could away from the place, back to a place they both could tend their wounds.


	11. Chapter 11: Informed secrets

Getting reports that Scar has been the one who made lab five into a ruin seems highly unlikely, yes the Ishvalan surely could make one heck of a mess with his alchemy but all this? He don´t think so. Something the higher ups refuse to reveal what really has been happening in this place. Maes Hughes decided to ask the only one who could give him the truth without saying it has been Scar.  
He knows full well that Scar wouldn´t do this for Armstrong, Ross and even Brosh reported to him they all saw Shahill Kanaan with him and Scar didn´t even try pursuing them or Edward when he got the changes. It seems like Scar kept his word and Maes is more than happy not to see him as a threat anymore, he got enough paperwork as it is.

Maes went to the military hospital and greeted Edward with a big smile and added cheerful "I heard you´ve been up walking around today." Even his mind is full of worry over everything there has happen.

"Yeah, a little" Edward said in his bed, pretty beaten up from his trip to laboratory five.  
Maes asked Alphonse how he is doing as well how he is doing and the also pretty messed up armor boy said kind of dull "Sure."

When that´s in order he now needed to be alone with the Elric brothers, it´s not he distrusted his men but Edward might not want to talk with them around, plus: the fewer who knows, the better.  
"Ohh I forgot, I haven´t gotten any change to eat any lunch today" he said loud.

"Oh, well I get you some food sir" Sergeant Denny Brosh said more than happy to help, but Maes needs both soldier outside this room. Laid-back he suggested to Maria Ross she should go with him.

Being the smart one of those two she got the message "Understood sir" and she left with her partner.

"Thanks, I´m real hungry!" he said smiling to his men "I´m just has been so busy." he laughed and kept doing it till they both gone. He stopped and smirks down to Edward who also seems to know what is going on. Maes sat on a chair before Ed´s bed, giving him the what the official military report told how laboratory five got turned into a mess of a building "Everything that happen is considered collateral damage caused by Scar when he pursued you, but needless to say; I´m not convinced of that." First that Scar is no longer on that path, second he told the brothers he and his found lots of corpses he suspected to be chimeras plus loads of equipment there looked like it has been working all the time until yesterday where they stormed the whole place. He added that those prisoners they got all told Brigadier General Basque Grand brought them there. But both he and Ed knows that the real Brigadier General lie in a grave with an exploded skull.

"Ed… what the hell happed?" he asked the boy who haven´t said a word under his whole update, he have hoped it would make the boy speak. But Edward did not say a word.  
"Ed."

"How should I know?" Edward hissed back "I passed out."

Whatever really happed in there has been serious enough for Ed considering not telling. "Don´t give me that." Maes told him, he needs to know in order to help "Just tell me what you saw will ya?"

A very long silence came in the room, the Lt. Colonel waited for the boy speak and sure in hell he isn´t going to leave before he got the truth on what happed in there.  
"Homunculi" Edward said at last.

Much to Maes´s shock, he did not exactly expect that "You´re kidding me" of course he isn´t with that long silence treatment "Artificial human?"

"That´s right" Ed said and added with a frown, remembering them far too well. "Believe me, they weren´t human at all."

"So they are connected to the philosopher stone?" Maes asked him.

"I say, they were trying to convince me to create a stone for them and make them human." Edward told, he continued with a very pained look in his golden eyes "and worse… they wanted me to use those prisoners to pull it off."

How awful thought Maes, to think the homunculi wanted to use a kid to forge them the stone. "That´s hard to believe." he admitted.

"Tell him Al" Edward said to his brother and the soldier turned to the armored boy in the corner of the room "Isn´t that right?"

After a moment Alphonse gave his brother right in what he has told is true.

These homunculi are some coldblooded bastards, Hughes thought and he know that they probably have been snooping around under the military´s nose or worse… the military has been hiding them.

Edward began draw down what else he saw inside and told Hughes what it is; a guardian whose was like Alphonse; a soul attached to a suit of armor. A homunculus psychopath named Envy and all of the homunculi got a Ouroboros tattoo on them and last, inside the lab was a transmutation circle to make the philosopher stone, the whole place has been made to forge the stone.  
"That´s the things what I saw in there Hughes" finish Edward to Maes.

"This is turning into an awful series matter about a little red stone."

Edward looked up to him, telling the Lt. Colonel that it has been this serious for years "Doctor Marcoh told me the stone was used as a weapon in the Eastern rebellion." Edward said dead serious.

Has the stone really been used by the military? And using it to win war quicker? Pretty hard to believe.

"Anyway these homunculi told me they kept me alive for their sakes. That they were told to."

A bit more than hoped but he can use this information. Maes smiled and said to the boy "Thanks for the information Ed, I´ll take it from here"

Edward looked slightly surprised up to him, as if he excepted Maes didn´t believe him and wanted to help.

That kid really needs start trusting people some more. Maybe also stop getting himself in trouble with this case of the Philosopher stone. Maes told the boy to get some rest and added "Why don´t you and your brother worry about yourself for a while?"

Edward turned his head to his brother, he sighted, well knowing that Hughes is right.

* * *

Later Maes sat at his office and let his mind spin around those information Edward gave him, this is sure turning into a real headache of a case. The phone start ringing but he completely ignored it, the phone stopped but whoever want to talk is pretty stubborn. The door knocked and Sheska a bookworm girl who got an excellent photographic memory walked in and after apologize for interrupt him she said "There is a call from Colonel Mustang."

Why is he calling now? He sure hope he haven´t got information about the Elric brothers been nosing around in lab five. Maes took the phone and cheerful greeted his friend on the other side of the phone "Yo Roy, good timing! I got great news!" a good way to know what Mustang is calling for.  
_  
"What, that your soldiers have found Scar?" _Mustang said kind of eager.

So that his reason for calling? He can´t exactly say he got away thanks to Shahill, Mustang would want his head if he get those information. Well, better get him some good news. "No, you upsets idiot, how is that be great news? Did you honestly forget? Tomorrow is Elicia´s birthday! We´re throwing a party and everything." he yelled happy into the phone. For himself it is great news, for Mustang…. Not so much.  
_  
"Unless you want to become charcoal Maes, you better tell me the news from Central" _Mustang said really annoying.

He could tell him about the Elric brothers' trip, about lab five and all that kind of stuff, but… "Don´t worry, if anything important happens; I´ll let you know. Meantime make sure you send my daughter a presents, bye now!" he added teasing and hung up.

"But sir" Sheska asked kind of confused "are you sure you don´t want to tell him everything, about the boys?"

"Yeah I´m sure, right now it´s better he don't know anything" he said to her again serious, if Mustang knows he will just put his own goal aside and none of them got time for that. Better change the subject.  
"But enough of that, you got those reports?"

Sheska clapped happy her hands and showed him a pile of books she has written down "Working nonstop without sleep and I manage to finish them all!"

He´s impressed how well she is doing, but just to be a little cruel for today. He placed a big book and told her smirking "Great~ here´s the list of what next and all" her reaction is hilarious, the poor girl literary passed out and gave Maes a good laugh for later.  
Oh yeah, he better see how Ed is doing tomorrow. It is also his birthday as well.

* * *

A/N: because Maes Hughes is my second favorite character in Fullmetal Alchemist universe, I will write some part where we see things from his perspective.  
I also needed to do so to get more meat to this story. it´s not like Shahill is doing something awesome right now XD

I sure hope I don´t make Hughes too much oc, tell me what you think


	12. Chapter 12: Weakness into strength

In the Ishvalan camp, Shahill took two bowls with food to the tent he and his brother lives in. He walked inside the tent, sat down and gave his younger brother one of the bowls.

Scar took the food, but he did not eat, he watched his older brother with a frown of thoughts.

Shahill notice it and asked worried "Hey, why aren´t you eating? You need to eat to get your strengths back."  
Both brothers were pretty badly wounded when they returned to the camp. Shahill right shoulder has several wounds from the female homunculus fingers, his right leg also have few cuts and automail seriously needed to be repaired.

Scar´s ribs haven´t fully healed and caused the man lots of agony, plus he got extra wounds and bruises after his second fight with the fat homunculus.  
Scar sighted placed his food beside him and looked at his right arm. Something has been bothering him, ever since his brother said that he made this mark by mixing Amestrian alchemy and Xingese alkahestry together and this arm is just the half of his research. Ever since they got back, his brother has been asking of some research notes he gave him before hell broke loose in Ishval, but none of what he tells happed.  
"You mention to me earlier you left me some research notes, before…" he trailed off, but his older brother understood.

Shahill stopped eating and turned slightly wondering "Don´t you remember? I gave them to you in case I wouldn´t survive."

He never got any notes from him, has his brother lost his mind? "And what were those research notes about?" he asked still very calm despite his spinning mind.

Shahill sighted but told patience "In my research, I notice that something is wrong with this country's alchemy. The alchemy does not come from the earth energy, but from a far more sinister source. In those notes I made a transmutation circle—"

"Brother."

Shahill stopped and turned to Scar there said with a deeper frown "You never gave me your research notes. All your research was about reviving… her."

Her? Who´s death and why does his brother sound so sad? "What do you—" he stopped from the sound of something explode. Shahill quickly got on his feet and went outside where the two children brothers Rick and Rio stood with their grandfather.  
The Ishvalan Alchemist eyes wide when he saw that it´s the military who attacks them, why did they do it?!

"What is this, more suffering?" the old grandfather asked "Is Ishvala sending us another trail of our faith?"

Scar walked out and told the old man that this has nothing to do with their god. These soldiers are just some wicked men there needed to be punish. Scar took another step, he wanted to give these soldier a lesson they won´t soon forget but, his wounds stopped him.

"No, you´re not strong enough!" the old grandfather said and wanted to help him. Scar lifted filled with agony his head, whispering his god´s name before the kids and their grandfather helped him away, but… his brother did not follow.

Shahill have completely frozen in fear for what he witness before his very eyes. Soldiers shot rapidly defenseless people who tried to get away, and their leader: a State Alchemist fired his alchemy of electricity out and killed everyone caught in the transmutation.

"Brother!" called Scar, but Shahill did not move.

His mind screamed to him he needed to run, but his legs will not obey.  
He felt a blow to his face and that brought him back, shocked over the hit he turned to his brother.

"We need to leave, now" Scar said calm down to his brother.

Very shaken up, Shahill followed his brother, he turned his eyes back to the slaughterhouse, wishing he isn´t such a coward so he could have stayed and maybe help their people.

* * *

"What a pitiful excuse I am for an older brother." Shahill muttered the next day; many survived the attack and the Ishvalan people from that settlement now hide down in the sewers under the city. Shahill still felt bad that he froze like that when he should´ve protected his people. He has alchemy to stop them; he could have… saved them. Instead he has to crawl away as the coward he is.  
Shahill sighted, not sure what to do. He turned his head toward the opening of the tent, wondering where his brother might have gone to.  
Answering his wondering, Scar arrived at the opening and said serious "Come, we need your help."

Shahill nodded and followed, still he said gloomy "I´m not sure how much help I will be…"  
Scar glanced to him as his older brother explained "I completely froze back there, I should have protected them!"

"You are no warrior." Scar simple said.

Shahill snorted "No, but an alchemist. I could have stopped them if I just I… uh! I´m useless!" he cried angry at himself, why can´t he be brave like his brother?!

Scar blinked, he has never seen his brother like this before. The last time he remember his older brother saw destructions he thought it was his fault, but did not fight it. Now he is angry he couldn´t stop it?  
"… Come" Scar said, not sure what he shall say to make his brother feel better. He barely understood what is going on!

Shahill followed, he stopped surprised over seeing Alphonse down here. With a brief greeting and explanation that Rick and Rio have gone topside to find their mother´s locket the trio went to the surface to find the kids before someone else does.

"Hey" Alphonse started hesitating to the Ishvalan brothers "what do you think about me?"  
Scar and Shahill stopped and both looked question back to the armored boy on where that question comes from?  
"I mean, when we are talking. Do you sense anything?" He asks them "do you think I´m human? Even in this body?"

Why is he asking about that? Thought Shahill confuse. Did something bad happen?

Scar did not answer Alphonse; he only gave him one glance before he walked away. Much to Alphonse disappointment.  
The armored boy turned to Shahill there asked "Do you wanna hear what I sense right now?" he did not look at the boy as he replied his own question "I sense a young and very confused boy inside that body." With these words, the older brother began his walking as well.

Scar found the locket to the boys, he gave it back to them and the group went back to the camp.  
On their way back Alphonse began asking about Rick´s locket "So that locket belong to your mom?"

"Uh huh."Rick nodded smiling as he held the locket in his palms as if it´s a very important treasure.

"What´s inside of it?" Alphonse asked, but the young boy did not know, the locket is broken and wouldn´t open.

"But that´s okay" Rick said with a smile.

"Get rid of that thing would ya?!" hissed Rio angry to his younger brother.  
Of course Rick refuses "No way!"

Alphonse remarked to Rio he shouldn´t talk like that to what belonged to their mom.

"Oh that´s really funny you calling her our mother" Rio hissed, telling that their mother never has been nice to them, not even once.

Shahill looked slightly back with a raised brow to the boy who got such a deep grudge to his own mother, hearing him yell that their mother did not love them kind of makes him sad. His own mother did not always like what he was doing, and often lectured him for having his nose too often in a book instead of attend to his duties. But still she loved both him and his younger brother.

Scar stopped, not seems to be bothered of Rio´s hash words of his and Rick´s mother. The rest of the group stops as well. Scar uses a lamb to signal the watchman they are friends and the watchman light back a signal to say the coast is clear.

Shahill turned to the boys "You two boys go in first." He said to them.

"Huh, wait a second." Rick suddenly said and ran back to the ally, he looked out to the streets and when he did not see anyone he yelled back to them "Okay, it´s clear!"  
Or so he thought, seconds later two soldiers jumped down and cut the young boy from the others. One of the men grabbed Rick while the other began shooting at the group.  
Alphonse quickly stepped in between and worked as a shield for the Ishvalans.  
Another soldier arrived and he got a bazooka. He missed but the blow streamed up smoke, the perfect cover to sneak attack.  
The men used the smoke to attack close up and Alphonse tried to keep them away from the Ishvalans, he kept most of them away. One of them pointed his gun at them again, but he never got the chance to shot for Scar used his alchemy to trip the man.

"Let him go, now!" demanded Alphonse to the rest of the men, of course they did not listen and took the boy as they ran away. To be sure they get a head start one of them threw a smoke bomb; they heard the sound of a car drive away. They have to find Rick before it´s too late.

Alphonse went to the nearest payphone and called central command center while the Ishvalan brother searched for a vehicle. They found one and quickly went on their way to the place the soldiers might keep Rick.  
Alphonse got from Lieutenant Ross that these soldiers are mercenaries and using an old military instillation as hideout.

They found the place and quickly they made out a plan, Alphonse started the plan by splitting the soldiers group to half and then opening a hole so Rio and Shahill could get Rick out an to safety.  
As the soldiers tried to attack Alphonse, Scar as the next part of the plan stopped them by using his own destructive alchemy and destroy half the building.

The State Alchemist smirked at the glaring scarred man "I always love when I´m right" he took up a knife and ordered his men to deal with Alphonse. He will deal with Scar personally.  
The State Alchemist attacked Scar and Alphonse yelled shocked "Scar!" but he couldn´t help for he got his own problem. These men have namely hired a former guard from laboratory five: the insane killer armor with the butcher knives.

Shahill turned to the scene, watching how the insane armor kept cutting out for the defending Alphonse, and how poor his own brother fought against the State Alchemist. He wanted to help, but who needed him most?

Suddenly, out from nowhere arrived Edward, shouting to the other armor "You leave him alone!"  
the Fullmetal Alchemist stopped the other armor´s attack against his brother and Alphonse looked very surprise over his older brother is here.

"Ed, brother! What are you doing here?" Alphonse asked confused.

"That´s a stupid question!" yelled Winry who also have arrived to the scene "we have been worried sick about you! We have been looking all over for you in Central" she told him hash.

Hearing that, Alphonse turned back to his brother and joined him in the fight against the other armor and the soldiers.

It gave Shahill the changes to join his own brother. He cannot be the coward right now, his family needs him!

The State Alchemist let hundred of knives attach to wire flew out around Scar, piece down on the ground around Scar and readies himself to attack. He used the knives to make his transmutation circle and out from the circle, a giant sphere of electricity arrived and it charged right at Scar.

Shahill ran towards the attack, getting an awful sense of Deja-vu "Get back!" he stepped in between his brother and the attack, just like he did under the attack from the State Alchemist in Ishval. Just this time. His right arm lit up and made a shield around himself and his brother, the shield cancel the attack by absorbing the electricity. Not exactly what he wanted but better than nothing, the alchemy sure are strange now.

The State Alchemist stared shocked at Shahill, never believed he would´ve seen an alchemist from Ishval. Shahill glared at the man, grabbing the shield and forming a sphere of plasma "Leave. My. Brother. Alone!" he threw the sphere at the alchemist, it exploded and sends the alchemist flying and he landed badly wounded on the ground.

He lifted his head in both shock and relief he´s still alive "I´m not death!"

His eyes flew to Shahill there said in matter of fact "Of course you are, you would have been dead if it was meant to kill."

Furies the alchemist turned around to his men, yelling "Shoot! Somebody shoot them!" he gasped as he realized that all his men has been imprison by the Elric brothers.

"Time to give up" Edward told him "it looks like you´re the only one left here."

"Who the hell are you?" asked the State Alchemist and Edward told he too is a State Alchemist, much to the other alchemist´s surprise "But that doesn´t make any sense. We are… on the same side!"

Edward raised a brow from his words, but turned around when the insane suit of armor began to move again. He earlier got knocked out by Alphonse and it has been so powerful that it has destroyed half of the killer´s helmet. Furies he charged the boys, but he got stopped by Scar´s alchemy and he split the armor in half.  
The attack has been so powerful that the armor upper half landed on the State Alchemist´s backpack, because that backpack is the State Alchemist´s main source to his alchemy, the armor screamed when alchemy slowly evaporate his armor and closing in to his blood seal. The alchemist took the backpack off and ran away, knowing it will blow and right, seconds later it blew up with the armor and send hundred of knives flying.  
One of the knives hit Rick right in the chest and the young boy collapsed. His older brother devastated called his little brother´s name, fearing he have lost him.

Scar stomped on the armor head and finishes it off, maybe it´s best that way for it was dying anyway. He pulled one of the knives off his arm and turned to his own brother who also got hit, but only his automail.

Shahill pulled the knife out from the steel and threw it away with a curse "Darn, it destroyed my transmutation array." He turned his red eyes to Rick, smiling when he saw the boy is alright. His mother locket has saved his life.

"Brother, you did not have to…" Scar started, he could have protected himself against the State Alchemist. So why did his brother risk his own life for him?

Shahill frowned "Of course I have to, you are my brother." he smiled weakly to him "saving you seems like the only thing there can get my mind into a battle."

Scar blinked slightly confused over what he meant by that.

Shahill chuckled over his younger brother´s face and said smiling even he know he will get a wrench "and my next battle is to convince miss Rockbell not to kill me when she sees my automail…"

luckily for him, she did not try to kill him. too much have happen today and it wasn´t exactly his fault his automail looks like it's being into a blender.

* * *

The next morning the Ishvalan people chose that the sewer isn´t a good place to hide, so they will try and see they could find a better place by taking the river and see they could meet up with another group there lived in hiding down the river.

"Al, thank you for everything" Rio said to Alphorns on the boat while Alphonse, his older brother and Winry stood at the shore. "Now that I think about my mother; I´ll treasure every single memory that I have"  
Alphonse nodded back to him "Yeah, me too. And from now on, I know my memories are real. I have faith in that"  
Shahill who gave Winry a farewell hug smiled to the armored boy; however it faded when Edward asked his brother about the Philosopher stone.  
"Did the Ishvalan people ever posses the philosopher stone, is that the real truth? And then the military came after it."

Shahill raised a brow; they have never possessed the stone. It was used against them. His confusions grew wider when his own brother said "No Ed. It was the other way around. We wanted the stone from keeping the military to whipping our race and our way of life."

"But did you create one?" pushed Edward on.  
Scar did not answer, he told Shahill to jump on the boat and they better get going and they set off to the sea. Edward called after him he wanted an answer, but too late for him.

Shahill turned with a large frown his head up to his brother "What did you mean by we wanted the stone? That thing was used against us."

Scar sighted but did not answer, not what Shahill wanted to hear. But he let the subject alone, for now. getting into a fight on a boat might not be a good idea, so it will wait till they got on land.  
He also got other questions, like who he tried to bring back and why that woman looked so much like Kalinda. He have to know the truth.

* * *

A/N: sorry it took so long for it to come out, but I got other project than just this story. I also have a comic and requests DeviantART, not to mention school.  
so yeah, I´m a busy girl. but that´s alright ^^


	13. Chapter 13: New journey but same path

Being found sleeping on the job is a bit embarrassing but it is even more when the top dog of the military, the Führer himself finds you sleeping. See that is very embarrassing, but this did not stop Maes from reporting to the Führer that something is wrong with the investigation of laboratory five. He has worked for days of this matter and the more he looks into the lab the more disturbing information he finds.  
Although he isn´t sure he should tell the Führer about this, it seems the boss have realized he has been snooping around and told the Lt. Colonel kind of hash inside his office

"I already headed my own investigation. I found that Brigadier General Basque Grand may have allied with some Ishvalan remnants and conducted some dangerous research which has been destroyed. That was my conclusion" then he asked slightly hash "are you not satisfied with that?"

"With respect sir, no I´m not" Maes said to Bradley and found it odd that the Führer blames the Ishvalan for this, the only Ishvalan who has giving the military trouble has been Scar, all the others tries to keep them to themselves. The Führer either really hates them or he is involved in this. And because Maes don´t have any evidence to this he can´t accuse the Führer for anything… yet.

"What? Is it about the philosopher stone?" Bradley asked him.

That is a surprise, he knows about the stone? Maes has been very secretive about it, well he better tell him what he knows and maybe be lucky seeing any reaction from Amestris´ leader.

"Yes, I´m assuming that there was research under the military to create the philosopher stone and there was many illegal acts involved in it."  
He saw no reaction from the Führer of what he told, probably because Bradley stood with his back to him and did not show his face.  
Hughes walked to him and gave Bradley the files he has gathered so far of this case, telling that all this has not only been done by the Brigadier General. Others too have been in this case of the philosopher stone.  
Marcoh and his supervisor has been involved as well, maybe more and all had one thing in common beside from the stone… they are all gone.

"A Major General, a Brigadier General, a Colonel" Bradley read out loud and asked "you are implicating all of them?"

"Yes, and during all the past years; all on that list have passed away, being killed or went missing." Maes told; that what caught his eye, beside from what the Elrics told him of course. "But from all that the plan hasn´t stop. Lab five was still running, and just few days ago some higher ups ordered a group of mercenaries to attack a refugee camp."  
Those on that list has only been puppets, someone else who hasn´t shown pulled all the strings and there is a pretty good changes that person works inside the military.

this time he got an reaction from the Führer, if it´s surprise or just anger is hard to tell "So you are saying there a actions still exist inside the military and doing unspeakable crimes to create this mythical item, right?!"

Maes stared at him for a few seconds, he frown a little frustrated as Bradley told that if something like this ever gets out then the people will lose respect for them and their control over the state will crumple. He did not think of this, but he can´t ignore this either.  
The Führer probably will order him to stop, but to his great surprise smile the Führer and said "I´m joking Hughes. Investigate it fully" he gave the notes back to the surprised Lieutenant Colonel.  
"The military has endured great storms in the past and we will ride this out as well. These outlaws rent vile forbidden human experiments. And these assassins who call themselves Homunculi will cover up, we will extract them out"

that is some surprise, maybe the Führer isn´t in this after all. Maes saluted him with a smile "Yes sir!"  
hesitating he asked Bradley "now… there is one more thing."

"It´s about Doctor Marcoh, correct?" Bradley asked, he don´t look surprised, but maybe it´s because he probably expected this, Marcoh is involved in this case.

"Yes sir, I have some questions to him."

Bradley turned to his secretary there said calm that the doctor his very safe and she will bring him to Central soon as possible.  
Maes stared at her, not quite sure why she knows this, Bradley answered on that silent question.  
"She´s the only person who knows the exact location of the doctor at the every giving moment. It´s from prevent me leaking any information if I´m tortured of the enemy. Can´t be too cautious." Bradley told him.

Hughes frowned from that information, he quickly chose to ignore this and turned to the secretary "Please take me to him… eh" he looked down to the name badge where he last name stood "Miss Douglas."  
She did not answer him, only wrote down the last on her letter as he left the room.

* * *

Hughes went to the Elric brothers and their childhood friend Winry after their return from who-know-where, here he showed them the same he have showed the Führer earlier.  
Hughes told them that those with the Ouroboros tattoo names did not show up on any list, and those whose names does, all gone so getting information is pretty hard. Marcoh and his workers are the only surviving members he knows of.

The two Elric brothers listen to the elders talk but to both Hughes and Armstrong´s great surprise Edward said after exchanges a glance with his brother "The thing is, we honestly don´t care about that stuff anymore."

Well that is some surprise, since when did this happen thought Hughes. These two boys are a magnet to trouble.

Winry spoke her mind to them in disbelief and anger over they have just giving up on their goal "What do you mean you don´t care, are you crazy?!" she asked them with hands on her hips and Edward calmly told her with s shrug that they both thought it was best they did not get involved in dangerous stuff anymore like the philosopher stone and homunculi.

Edward´s younger brother nodded added "We thought it would be better to look different ways, you know"

"But boys, it would definitely be better but…" Major Armstrong trailed off and Maes asked with a slight frown "If you really thought there was another way, then why go through all this trouble?"

"Who knows?" Edward said with a shrug "maybe there´s not, but there is someone we need to ask."

"Our original teacher" Alphonse said and Edward told that she lives in the south in a place called Dublith.  
Alex Armstrong found this very strange and sudden but before he really could say anything Maes stopped him, he knows why they did this.

Suddenly Winry gasped and pointed at the Amestris map, she have seen something right under the town Ed and Al should on. Very delightful she told the Elric brother that it was the town of automail: Ross Valley and heaven for a girl like her.  
Not sure he should stare dump or find it amused how Winry annoying begged Edward to let her come with them so she could see the town Ross Valley.

"Go on your own" muttered Edward really annoying and Winry asked him seriously with hand on her hips "Then who would pay for my travel expensive?"

"Very funny!" hissed Edward at her, it would probably have ended up as a fight if not Alphonse said calm to his brother they could manage it.

"It´s on the way, like she said" he added and forced Edward to give. Much to Winry´s happiness.

Maes smiled to the kids "Have a good trip!"  
they promise they would and he, along with Armstrong left the room where Brosh who stood guard along with Ross said in relief "So, they finally quit throwing themselves into dangerous situations they don´t need to be in. They must have learned their lesson from seeing all the trouble we have to go thought as their bodyguards, that´s my bet" he said and nodded smiling to his boss.

Hughes glanced back to the room as he remarked to the Sergeant "It would´ve been a perfect ending, if they meant what they said."

Ross and Brosh both looked confused at him, they wouldn´t have if those two have known the brothers as long as himself and Armstrong.

"They told us that to protect us, so we wouldn´t be the next victims on the list" Armstrong told them.

Hughes looked at Edward, muttering it is easy to forget they are only kids.  
Edward and Alphonse too often act like adults, but who wouldn´t after all what they have been through?


	14. Chapter 14: Leaving you, take care

In a canyon camped the Ishvalan Shahill and his younger brother with the rest of the Ishvalan residents from Central city. On the journey Shahill had finally picked up the courage to encounter his brother on what he has kept secret from him about the past.

Scar knew he couldn´t keep this a secret on what his older brother´s research really is about. It was not what Shahill have delude himself these past years that his research has been to save their people, it is quite the reversed. Maybe his older brother lost those memories and letting him think that this right arm is a part of something good. That is Scar´s only explanation on why his older brother is acting like this, he is not the person he remembers. Shahill fully believe that Kalinda is still alive and waiting for him, not that she died years ago and he tried to bring her back by alchemy.

"That´s nonsense" Shahill said denying, how can his brother say she died and he in a selfish attempt tried to bring her back? "I would never try human transmutation, it´s too risky, not to mention I promise her…"  
he turned away from his brother with an angry frown "how can you even say I did such a thing?"

Scar feared his brother would react this way, he would too if he did not see that abomination he brother made years back. "You did perform human transmutation, I saw it. Brother, your whole research was to bring her back, you did not research—"

"Enough!" Shahill yelled furies and got on his feet, glaring at his brother "I did not do it; even if she is gone I would never have done it. So stop saying I did it!" he stormed out from the tent.  
Usually it was Scar who is the one to storm out after a argument but this time it is Shahill, he boiled with anger and confusions why his own brother would say he did human transmutation. The only time he did the closest thing to human transmutation was when he gave his right arm to Scar in order to save his life.

Scar watched his brother leave, not sure what just happed, he have never seen his brother lose his tember like this. Shahill kept denying the past, as if he has never done it. Under Shahill angry outburst Scar has looked into his eyes… he saw no recognition of the story in those eyes. Somehow Scar could see that his brother wasn´t lying. He did not do it, but he saw it happen and that only made the scarred man more confusing.  
He made move to follow his brother, but stopped when suddenly the young boy Rick walked in and said he got a visitor. Scar´s eyes wide in surprise when his master walks in.  
"Master." Scar said with voice full of relief but also slight confusions he is here.

"I see you both survived." Scar´s master said and turned his head towards the outside "I saw your brother, he did not look happy."

"I told him of his mistake, his sin… and he denied it."

Scar´s master nodded and sat down before the young man, asking "and why this reaction?"

Scar bowed his head "… I somehow believe him, he did not do it… ever since our reuniting he is not the same, he has change." He looked up to his master "I did not know you have survived. Where have you been hiding?"

Scar´s master told that many of the people hide in the southern mountains and he used most of his time there. The older grandfather to Rick and Rio who also was in the tent told Scar´s master that´s where they are going there.

Scar´s master nodded and continued tell that they have succeed to avoid the military and was about to gather their comrades in Central.  
"On our journey, we heard stories about you." he said to Scar and said seriously "I gather you have been on a hunt, finding and killing all the State Alchemists you could over these past three years."

Scar lowered his head and muttered "brother have already lectured me… what I did was wrong…"  
he do regret it now, his brother opened his eyes of what he has become, the way he chose was not the right way and would lead to nothing more than hatred and despair.

"Did he?" his master asked slightly surprised "and again he wasn´t like himself?"

How can he describe this? Maybe his master can tell him what has happen to his brother. "I won´t say he isn´t exactly like himself. He is still the same I remember, and jet not. He remembers things we did, but I do not remember, his whole research on alchemy is different too, and he fully believes she is alive. out there and searching for both of us."  
He looks into his master´s eyes "I believe him, but I don´t know why…"

Scar´s master thought long about it, he wasn´t sure himself and suggested to the younger man "maybe his mind has tricked him, so he would go a different path; he was close to death, correct?"

Scar nodded slightly, not sure he should be happy his brother´s own mind trick him into false hope. He turns his eyes to the sound of the outside where he heard people panicking, he better check out. He rose and walked out.  
On his way out, Scar´s master said Scar "Remember my student, you shouldn´t forget the actions of injustice the military and you have done, it cannot be forgiving but the pain should never turn into senseless revenge."

Scar stood still few moment, remembering his older brother words that he could never forgive, but he couldn´t hate him either, is it the same with the military? Chose thinking about that later he walks outside and saw what all this commotion is about. A gang of men on motorbikes drives crazy around and tried drive people over, they destroys tents and everything their bikes could destroy with their wheels.  
One of the bikers drove against Scar but he never got far away for Scar used his right arm to destroy the bike and hurl the biker at one of his comrades with such force it knocked both men out. He spared the man´s life, maybe first it was because of the promise, but now… he did it because killing unnecessary felt just… wrong he couldn´t explain why. If he ever kills again: he will do if he don´t have other choice and these fool are easy to scare away he don´t have to.

Much to Scar´s surprise, suddenly fists of earth knock a biker off his vehicle when he attempted to roll over a defenseless Ishvalan.  
The gang panicked over a alchemist was among the Ishvalan and they fleet as fast their vehicle could carry them.  
Scar looked behind his shoulder and saw his brother knelling with his right hand on the ground. Scar nods to his brother who weakly smiles back and mutter he is sorry. Maybe his brother has changes, but he still can´t stay mad for very long.

Scar´s master walked to them, he saw the tattoo on Scar´s right arm and turned to Shahill there nodded before he walks away from the camp.

"Brother, where are you going?" asked Scar slightly confused.

Shahill stopped and turns to him, smiling weakly "I have questions no one here can answer me. I´m going back to Central." He have come to this conclusion while he walked around the camp.

"What kind of questions?" Scar´s master asked "is it about your past?"

"I know my past, but I have to know the truth of what is real and fake." Shahill told him and walked away "I have to find her."

Scar frowned, he did not mean he wants to chase after that homunculus who looks like Kalinda? It will be suicide! He walked after him "Brother, she´ll kill you!"

Shahill stopped and looked at him strangely calm, consider what he is doing "I´m not going after the homunculi. I´m not that stupid."  
He still remembers the last dream he had of the demon woman before he woke up at the Rockebell. This demon promised him life, yet it also told there is a catch. Was the catch? That his past has changes? He has to know what she has done to his reality.  
He turned to the light out in the horizon where Central city are "She will tell me the truth, whatever that is."

* * *

_"You honestly don´t think them being hospitalized isn´t important information for me?!"_ asked Mustang angry over the phone in Hughes office. So he finally found out, thought Hughes and said casually "I´m sorry, I thought I told you, it´s just some minor scrapes."

Mustang yelled on the other side and Maes grinning stopped his angry outburst by telling him he heard rumors of his transfer to Central seems to be true.  
"You need to hurry up and get important here, so we can have an easier time." and just to annoy his friend he added fast "and find yourself a good wife."  
Mustang hung on as appreciated and Hughes grinning hung on too, that man is just too sensitive on that subject. Even it´s pretty late Maes dressed into his military uniform and went into his daughter's room to say goodnight to his daughter.  
He heard his wife Gracie stop at the door and said calm to him that Mustang also worried of the brothers. Well, Mustang shouldn´t worry about them, not with all what he has planning.  
"Beside, there´s a possibility our line is being tapped" he added to her, he do not like doing this but he have to leave and go back to work "Sorry, but I still have to check on something."

"Just… be careful" Gracie said understanding and really worried too, he is sticking his nose in some really dangerous stuff.

Maes nodded and said goodbye to his daughter Elicia and went to work.

* * *

At the military he took piles of book and looked into every case there has been connected to the stone.  
Ishval, Liore and Magwar´s mine… every single of those towns was destroyed when they got too close to the Philosopher stone, but he did not understand why. His eyes went to the drawing Edward has made of one of the homunculi. If these homunculi tried to motivate people to make one, then why would they cause so much destruction and make rumor people will die around it. Are they trying to remove all the evidence? But it should be the opposite way, right?  
"Hang on, wasn´t the original cause of the war of Ishval by a soldier named…" the phone began ringing as he muttered the name "Douglas" but he completely ignored the phone. He only reacts when Sheska walks in and said the Führer´s secretary is on the line.  
He took the phone and she told that doctor Marcoh is in Central now and he will be waiting at the hotel. Talk about luck!  
"Right, thanks for working so late, I´ll be heading there now" Hughes said to her, happy something finally is working without trouble, then he suddenly realized something. The secretary's name is Douglas!  
He rose from the chair and yelled to Sheska "Put all those books exactly where you found them right now!"

"What?" she ask confuse as Hughes runs past her and did not know what to do as he told she will go right home after that, plus she is fired. The girl stood frozen from that information, not sure what to do.

Hughes quickly went to the hotel, well knowing it is a trap. But he has to do this in order getting answers.

Juliet Douglas waited for him and Hughes got an idea that she is here to make sure the whole act is right, too bad for her he has already seen right through it, but for now he have to play along.  
"Thanks again for going through all this trouble." he said as if he really is thankfully, although his body is pretty tense and ready to pull his knives if she did one wrong move.  
"Tell me, miss Douglas" he began casually as if nothing is wrong. "Do you know anything about the Ishvalan rebellion?"

"No, I´ve done office work in my entire carrier" she replied him calm and he remarked he has the same too.

Then he told her he have looked into some stuff recently, still very casual he asked "Did you know the rebellion was triggered by a soldier posted there to keep the peace? Apparently she shot a defenseless Ishvalan child and that became their rallying cry. Weird thing is, that soldier´s name was Juliet Douglas." He told her and very calmly she rejected she was the one, telling him that her name is very comment.  
He chose to tell her more about what he have found out, to get some truth out from her or at least see a reaction.  
"Here where it really get interesting, according to article. The soldier with that name died two years before the Ishvalan rebellion started."

"That is strange." she admitted still very calm.

"One more curies thing." he added "Although that soldier was reported killed, the name Juliet Douglas was never removed from the militaries active duty list. In fact that same soldier with that name received a promotion in the past two years." Hughes continued.

Finally she stopped and turned to him, saying "She was selected to become King Führer Bradley next secretary."

Maes smirked tense to her "Who are you, actually?" he asked her "Where you in Ishval, or did you come later? Using the militaries mistake to sneak in with her records?"

"The doctor is waiting for you" she simple said far to calm, not a good sign.

"Is Marcoh really behind that door?" Hughes asked her, but she did not reply. Well he guess he find out. He opens the door and in the last second he heard the door behind him open and a woman stormed against him. In reaction Hughes turned to her with his right hand on his knife, but stopped as he felt her sharp fingers against his throat.

The woman smirked to him "A pleasure to meet you." she said and asked herself "Or should I make that a goodbye Lieutenant Colonel?"

Hughes now knew how a felt in a trap, still his sharp eyes notice the tattoo and he smirked, saying cheeky; although the big trouble he is in "One sexy tattoo you got there babe."  
The next thing happen in seconds, the woman with the tattoo on her sternum attacked him with her finger, he dodge them, only got the shoulder cut and he threw his knife right at her, hitting hers forehead; a killing blow to any human.  
Suddenly the First Lieutenant Maria Ross arrives, yelling to him he should run while she shot at Douglas.

She didn´t need to say that twice, Hughes took the run with Ross right behind him, it succeed them to get outside.  
Here he told her what he knew while still running and keeping his hand over his bleeding shoulder "Lieutenant, the enemy has moved very close to the Führer and they infiltrated the military deep enough to inflict large scale decisions." He turned his eyes to her "their goal is not to create the stone directly…" he trailed off when he suddenly notice something on Ross there pointed that she was not the one she appeared to, a mole under her left eye is missing. He quickly told not to mind what he said and they better move.

"Sir" the imposter said and followed him to the nearest payphone. No of them saw that they are being watched by a shadow on a roof.

Hughes cursed over it took too long while he stuffed money into the phone, not realizing he dropped a picture with his family on. He wants to call Roy, tell him the information he have gathered before this imposter make its move. Just to his darn luck Roy wasn´t there.  
"What?! What do you mean he is gone?!" he yelled to one of Roy´s men who said _"He left to Central with Lieutenant Hawkeye, is there something that matter sir?"  
_  
Without a word to the soldier, Hughes hung up, cursing "dammit Roy, you´re acting stupid again! With these informations, you could go straight to the top!"

"Lt. Colonel, we should go somewhere safe" the imposter of Maria Ross said with a good acting of being worried.

He played along and muttered it´s not like he lost any evidence. As hoped the imposter turned its back on him as it thought he haven´t realized it was an assassin. "But now there is something I like to bring up with you." he pulled up on of his knives and sat it to her throat, the same way the homunculus did with him not long ago. Telling the imposter that the real Ross have a mole underneath the left eye.

"Oh, is that so?" asked the imposter also calm like Douglas and added as if she found this amusing "How careless of me." the imposter turned around and with a single touch under the left eye, arrived the mole.

"That´s amazing talent." Maes admitted, thinking of how long this… shapeshifer has been snooping around inside the military? He gasped slightly shocked when the imposter suddenly drew the gun and before she even could get the gun pointed at him, Hughes slit her throat and she felt heavily bleeding on the ground, wheezing and quickly dying from the infiltrated wound Hughes have giving her.

"I hope you forgive me." he said to the dying imposter "but I got a wife and kid waiting for me back home." he added and left the body. But then he heard the same sound the imposter made when she made the mole appear and he turned around to strike again…. He hesitated, for the person who stood before him, aiming a gun at him is his own wife.

"You´re right Hughes, maybe this is a more fitting end."

He knew it isn´t her, but his love to Gracie is just too great and the hesitation was enough for the shapeshifer. The shapeshifer shot and Hughes felt the bullet penetrate his body and with that, his life ebb away.

Hughes fell on the ground and the imposter left his dying body. For who could save him? Hughes has picked the perfect place to die. This area is mostly park and with a very few houses standing around. Making it very unlikely someone will find Hughes in time.

"Promoted two ranks, and that just for dying in the line of duty."

* * *

A/N: Hughes death, one of those scenes I could cry to. that is just so freaking sad!  
but let us see if this REALLY is the end for our cheerful maniac father.


	15. Chapter 15: The Teacher of Dublith

Shahill stopped in his walking and turned with slightly wide eyes to the pair walking past him, did he just hear the woman wants to kill the Elric brothers? The killing part could just be because this woman is angry, but how did she know them? Quickly he turned around to the pair and asked "Excuse me, did I hear you speak of the Elric brothers?"

The pair turns around to him and the woman said with a raised brow "Yeah, and who are you?"

Shahill who ever since coming back to Central hidden his face with a hood, took the hood down "My name is Shahill, I´m—"

"I know you" the woman said in realization "you are that Ishvalan who knows about alchemy." she smiles friendly "and from their stories you are a skilled one too."

Shahill smiles flattered, he scratched his neck saying "I´m flattered, but I only study it, never really uses it in practice."

"modest too I see." she laughed but then turn seriously "I´m sorry, but we can´t stay and chat any longer. I need to find those two boys."

What has those two gotten themselves into now? Thought Shahill and asked if he could come with them. "you see, they are like family to me." he said.

The woman could not say no to that and they left Central. On the train to the whereabouts of the Elric brother, the woman told Shahill that her name is Izumi Curtis and the big man beside her is her husband Sig Curtis. She is the Elric brothers' teacher and was the one who taught them more about alchemy and how to fight in combat.

"You did not make a very good job in their combat skills" Izumi told him because the Elric brothers told her that Shahill more or less has been their first teacher in alchemy. And Izumi saw combat as an important part in alchemy; in her eyes, you cannot do alchemy properly without a healthy body.

Shahill smiled weakly "I think you misunderstood, I taught them in alchemy not how to fight."

"So you have no idea how to defend yourself beside from alchemy?"

"I never got a reason to fight as them, I´m more a pacifist. So no, I do not know much about combat. My brother is the fighter, not me." he said.

Izumi blinked surprised, then she smirked rose and told him "When we find those two brat and drag them to Dublith, then I´m going to show you how a real alchemist should be like, and I do not take no for an answer!"

…seems like Shahill do not have a choice… what kind of teacher is she anyway?

They arrive to a town named Rush Valley, here they split up to search for the Elric brothers, Shahill asked people and more or less got what he is looking for. Sure people have seen a little blond guy who walks beside a suit of armor, but no one knows where they are right for the moment. Shahill sighted turned his eyes to the dark night sky, they are probably inside by now, but just as he is about to give up for today. He saw a big armor walk out from a house, well knowing who that is. How lucky can he just be?  
"Alphonse!" he called and ran to the armored boy.

"Shahill?" Alphonse asks surprise and asks what he is doing here, and if he got a real face it would probably turn white of shock and fear as the Ishvalan told he is with their teacher. "T-teacher is here?!" the boy asks him shocked and before he could do or say a word, Sig and Izumi stood behind him.

"Yeah" Shahill said when the boy looked terrified back to them "and we all wants to know where Edward is"

* * *

Alphonse is forced to show them the way, he tried to warn his brother of who is here and Edward tried making a run for it, but Izumi predicted he would run through the window and stood outside by it. As Edward is about to jump through, she kicks him back and walks through it herself, muttering how predictable he is.

"Hello teacher." Edward said polite but scared as well to her "what are you doing here?" he asks and Winry who right for the moment traveled with them if Izumi really are their teacher in alchemy.  
Edward told it is right and he jumps startled as she suddenly shouted "Where is Alphonse?!"

Alphonse jumped and upright his whole body as a soldier "Ma´am!" he said scared.

Izumi apologized over her yelling and said thanks for taking them to Ed, she did not know he is Alphonse and asked the armored boy where he is.

Hesitating Alphonse said "Uh…. I´m Alphonse…"

"Of course, right you are" she said, not getting what he just have said "just as I was saying—" then she got it and Alphonse nervous backs away from her, but in vain.  
Seconds later he found himself slammed onto the floor as if his heavily armor is nothing to her.

"So you are hiding in disguises now?!" she yelled down to the poor boy and added with hands on her hips "Don´t worry, I heard plenty of stories reach me about my two idiotic apprentices breaking away from everything I taught them to becoming the scum of the military! Isn´t that right?" she asked turned to the terrified Edward who hide behind Winry, hoping she will protect him against his teacher's wrath.

"Don´t be so hard on them"

Edward turns to the door and blinked surprised seeing Shahill stand in the doorway, how glad he is to see him! Teacher turns to the Ishvalan there smiled weakly to Edward and said "You three look well" then asked with a frown "what are you doing here? Shouldn´t you be in Central?"

Edward and Alphonse chuckled both nervous, both knew they got lots of explaining to do.

* * *

"We were going after Scar, he knows about the philosopher stone" Edward said on the train to Dublith.  
Izumi have strained them with rope inside a cabin and taken Ed´s watch. Shahill, of course freed the kids, but he couldn´t help with the watch and found it best they just follows their teacher back to Dublith.  
Something neither Edward nor Alphonse could argue with.

"And how are you so sure of that?" Shahill asked them with a frown, his brother told him the about his research is really meant to create a stone, but that isn´t true. He knows better, after all: he was the one who made the research.  
"You do know that A…Scar is not a alchemist, he thinks it´s the arm and not him who makes alchemy." he told them.

"Is that so?" Edward asked, he did notice Shahill was close to call Scar something else. Probably his true name.  
He turns to his younger brother who stared strangely at Shahill there suddenly said to the younger boy "You didn´t tell him did you?"

"…No" Alphonse said "It´s best you tell them the truth."

"What truth?" Winry asks confused and so did Edward "Yeah, what are you talking about?"

Heh, truth thought Shahill. What is the truth here? Is he really the creator of that woman homunculus, was all his research to create the worst thing he ever knows of? No, he knows he did not commit the taboo. He knows all his research was on helping, not to harm people and differently not to his own selfish goal.  
He only knows one thing is true and never has been a lie.  
He sighted and said serious "The man you know as Scar… he is my younger brother."

Edward eyes wide, he flew up from his seat, staring at Shahill with unreadable eyes "Are you telling me you are related to that… that monster?"

Shahill eyes narrow of the boy´s words "That´s my brother you speak of and he is not a monster, not anymore at least…"

"So you just forgive him, after all th—" Edward said loud in anger, he stopped surprised when Shahill suddenly rose and glared down to the boy.

"Let me ask you a question Ed, what would you do if your own brother turns on the path Scar chose, would you be able to forgive him? Or will you hate him so much you will hunt him down like the monster everyone says he is?"

Silence in the room. Alphonse and Winry weren't sure what to say, so they kept quiet. Edward stared slightly in shock up to the elder male, completely taken aback at the question, then he removed his eyes away from Shahill, muttering "…no, I will never call him a monster, no matter what he has done, but…"

"You can´t forgive him either" Shahill finish for him. He looked outside the window "Under the war in Ishval, we saw a horrible side from the military, they slaughtered my people Ed, and they gave us no mercy. Giving us every right hating the military. My brother lost everything thanks to the military and thanks to a State Alchemist; all the familiar things he knew, the people he loved was all gone. Sooner or later all that sadness and despair will turn into anger if you don´t know how to endure that pain."

"… He thought he got nothing to lose" Edward mutters and remembering how shocked Scar looked when he saw Shahill in East City.

"Correct, he is no longer on his path of destruction, but he still needs time to heal." Shahill said. He sat down beside Winry again and gentle sat his left arm around her in a hug. "You three should know better than anyone, how much pain is cause of losing someone you love."

True they did. They all lost their parents, but they have someone. Ed had his brother as Al had him and Winry got her grandmother, while Scar has been alone and allowing his despair turn into rage.

"Tell me, since when did you become miss Curtis students?" Shahill asked with a slight frown and the brothers told not long after their mother´s death, they figured they needed a teacher. Izumi passed by Resembool and when the boys figured she was an alchemist they begged her to become her student. She first refused but when she found out they were orphans she took them. They trained with her for three years.

Shahill and Winry listen to their story and they just finish as they arrived to Dublith. Izumi found it amazing that Shahill has been able to keep the boys from running away.  
However through the city, Izumi got greeted by a little child who have a pregnant cat. Shahill quickly notice how kind Izumi is to kids and figured she got a soft spot to them.

"Izumi, welcome back!" sounds a voice and a young man walks to them with a sack on his left shoulder.  
Edward walked to him, greeting as a friend.  
The young man name Mason smiled said to Ed he hasn´t seen him for a while and went to him laughing.  
"So, you finally grown a little bit haven´t you?" he asked while slapping his hand on Ed´s head, much to Edward´s annoyance.  
Then he turns to Alphonse, thinking him as Ed´s sidekick. Until Alphonse told who he is and Mason laughed said he got on heck of a growth.

Shahill chuckled embarrassed over that remark and Mason turns to him and Winry. He greeted Winry with a big smile and blinked slightly when he saw the color of Shahill´s eyes, then he laughed friendly "First time I meet an Ishvalan, welcome to Dublith, friend!"  
Shahill shook his hand with a smile "Thanks."

After that, Izumi and her husband made dinner. After the dinner the Elric brothers told about their journey. Sig told they have getting themselves into too much trouble and Alphonse quickly told they haven´t all the time been into trouble. Few years back they helped deliver a baby, although they more screamed their heads off then actually helping.  
Izumi told the boys that every birth is a blessing and they should valuable the lives their mother gave them.  
Winry asks Izumi she have children too, but to that question Mason suddenly rose and asks the Elric how they alchemy have improved? Mason and the kids went outside to show.

Shahill did notice the slight tense aura of the question of children, he glanced to Izumi getting a feeling she did try getting a child but something horrible happen. He chose to leave the pair alone for a while and left the room with an apology.

Outside the house Shahill watches Alphonse perform alchemy and found it pretty amusing he made a horse, just he did to them so long ago.

Edward is about to perform alchemy too, but stops when three boys ran to Izumi who right now came out from the house. One of the boys accidently broke his toy train and wants it repaired. Izumi did but not by alchemy they wanted, she told them no one should rely on alchemy all the time. If you can repair thing with your hands then you should. Not what the boy expects but they thanked her and ran off, just as the little girl with the cat runs over to them with a horrified look.

"What is it Mannie, what´s wrong?" Izumi asks and the little girl told that her cat is in trouble. With no further words they whole group ran to the house where a dog barks up to the roof. The dog is easily to scared away, Alphonse just needed to stand before it and look dangerous. Edward quickly climbs up on the roof where the heavily wounded cat lied with her newborn kittens. One of the kittens began roll down from the roof and Edward quickly clapped his hands and transmuted a hand out from the wall of the house to grab the kitten.

They got the cat and her kittens down, but everyone except the child could see the mother cat is dead, died of the loss of blood from the dog´s bites. Izimu is forced to tell the little girl that her cat will not come back.

"But you can make her better can´t you teacher?" the girl said "you can fix anything."

"No, I can´t… lives and things are different, and I´m not a god. Teeco life has ended and she is never coming back." Izumi told the child who did not fully get it. Her cat was just with her not long ago, so how can it be it is no longer here?  
Izumi couldn´t bring the cat back, but she could help make a grave to it.

"Everything there lives has to die, that´s the nature of the world. And when the body return to the soil, flowers will be nourished and grow. The soul impacts other souls and lives on in other hearts, anything in this world flows, circulate, that goes for human lives as well." Izumi told as she helped the child bury her cat.

Winry, Sig, and the young child left, Shahill followed them but stopped when he notice that neither Ed, Al or Izumi followed them. They just stood and talked. He watched them and saw how tense Edward suddenly became, and Shahill knew that Edward is telling his teacher of what he did.

"We… we transmuted our mother argh!" Ed got kicked by Izumi and she also beat Alphonse down, but most Edward.

Shahill watched it all happen but he did not try help the boys, it may be cruel but they deserve this.  
After a heavily beating from their teacher, Edward got on his legs again and waited for more beating, but to the boy´s surprise, she hugged them both in comfort. Finally breaking down the wall they both made around their emotion the day they made their mistake, they gave into their emotion and despair and cried silently over Izmui´s shoulders.


	16. Chapter 16: The strange encounter

Edward and Alphonse was taken on a island by their teacher to learn a lesson they also learned years ago, staying on a inhabitant island for days, where they will discover they are not alone on that island.  
Not knowing, deep underneath Dublith streets, in the shadows in the city lied another population composed of thieves, prisoners and most of all: military chimeras.  
Their leader is a powerful being, a homunculus and everyone, at least the chimeras, the former prisoners from laboratory five showed this homunculus name Greed completely loyalty, for he has giving them freedom and a changes for a new life. The rest just followed him because they did not have other places to go.  
Not long ago, the newest member, a beautiful woman who have this strange inexplicably aura around her suddenly vanish and arrived again with a half-dead man, a soldier.  
She explained him she has been spying on his former gang and thought this soldier will be useful to Greed, so she saved him and brought him here.

Greed wasn´t convinced this more dead than alive rag would hardly be any use to him, he already has problems with the other soldier. But she told him back then he just should leave it to her, she will get him to show loyalty.

So today, he same day Edward and Alphonse was taken to the island, woke the soldier up after being unconscious for days.  
He quickly notices he is not in the hospital, but some place underground after judging the walls and ceiling. The hazel eyes turns to the movement to his right and even without his glasses he saw a tall woman with short chestnut hair, he notice a strange tattoo on her shoulders before she turns around to him and smiled down to him "So, you choose return back to the living." she took the chair and sat down beside his bed "Lucky I was around when Envy shoot you, huh?"

Envy? Did this woman know that homunculus? Carefully he sat up, trying not to show the pain it caused on his shoulder and abdomen. "Where am I?" he asks her cautions. He sat his hand on the gunshot wound on his abdominal, it shocking he survived this.

"You are in the Devil´s nest in Dublith, my master is the cause you are alive." She said. The woman rose from her chair and smirks down to him "I took you here because he want to ask you a few questions."

"And what if I refuse?" he dare asking her, what did they have on him to be sure he will rat the military out?

"Of course you don´t have to" she simple said with a careless handmove "That just means mister Greed has no use for you. If you don´t give him anything, then I guess I just could have left you on the street."  
she sighted as if she is sad but she is far from it. "that poor girl… losing her father, and in such young age… she wouldn´t even understand."

His eyes wide in shock, did this woman just threat him with his family?! He rose angrily "You keep them out from this!"

She smirked "Ohh you misunderstood, no harm will come to your family. So long Greed´s enemy thinks you are dead, so long you stay nice to him, giving him little information on this and that. Do few dirty works for him, become his loyal subject. Then I guess you someday can… I don´t know, go back home, meet your friend, the Colonel and have a homunculus as alley. You know how powerful they are."

What the hell? What is this woman´s game? He thought confuse. She wants him to leak information to her master Greed, become a part of this, and become a criminal. Still she said he could draw benefits from all of this, what is it she wants? Hesitating he asks her, wary of her "What is your game?"

"What game?" she teasing asks him, then she said when he felt ready, she wants him to prove he is on Greed side and added "Remember, so long Greed sees you useful; you´ll live."

So this is his only way to survive? He have to become what he hates most, in order to live and maybe see his family again? Seems like he have no other choice. With a sight he nodded in agreement "Alright, I´m on your side… but only so long you don´t harm anyone from my family or my friends!"

The woman nodded with a victories smile "Of course, just don´t tell him. Get his trust and you´ll be fine."  
She left the room and he sat down on the bed, still not sure of what he is doing is the right thing. But for now… he has to play along, he is not strong enough to escape anyway.

* * *

Edward and Alphonse returned back from the Island with their teacher, but they got another person with them. This child is very strange, even Shahill could tell, even he never really has been close to him yet. The days Ed and Al were on the island, he used most of his time with Winry. But now the brothers have returned, the young girl uses her time with them, giving the Ishvalan time to his own studies.

He is still very confuse why alchemy do not work as he remember and why did his brother remember a completely different past?  
Sadly the only one who can give him answers is nowhere to be found and he have no idea where to start his search and it's not like you can ask people if they have seen a woman with horns, wings and a tail strolling around.  
No, better think this through and take one step at the time.

In the middle of the night Shahill suddenly awoke of the sound a child yelling he is playing, a little annoying over been waked up he went out from bed, open his door and found a big hole in the floor.  
He looks down and saw Ed trying stopping the strange child from yelling and jumping playfully around. It did not work at all and the child kept jumping yelling around the room

"Okay fine!" Edward said at last, clapped his hands and transmuted the sheet into a robe to catch the child from moving around. The child landed on the bed and released the mouse he held in his hands.

Shahill frowned from upstairs and said slightly annoying to Edward "Do you two have any idea how late it is?" and asked full of sarcasm "and who of you got this brilliant idea putting a hole in front of my door?"

Both boys froze for a second, then they turns their heads up to him and Edward smiles embarrassed up to him "Sorry about that, Shahill."

Shahill sighted and jumps down to them as the kid smiling and still very playfully looks at the robe around his ankle.

"You can do that too?" Edward asks the boy who now looks confused at him and shook his head, making Edward slightly angry "Don´t lie to me! Earlier on the island you transmuted a rock on your hand and your clothes were transmuted too, weren´t they?"

"Calm down brother" Alphonse said and told he is scaring him. Edward turns to him, saying that they both saw what happed back there.  
Well Shahill did not and found it strange that if what Ed says is right, this boy can transmute his own body and without a circle, two very strange things.

"The only people who can do that is me and teacher." Edward continue, not seeing the boy tried to bind himself free "and then she acted like she didn´t even notice he did it, I call that strange."

"that is strange." Shahill admitted "however:" he went to the boy and helped him free before he gets a panic attack "you can´t just barge into his room and expect him to know every answer." the boy got free and he began to relax. "What do you see in him anyway?" he asks them but mostly looked at Edward with his red eyes.

Edward eyes dropped to the floor "…I have seen his face somewhere before, I know I have…" he stared at the child who began poking couriers at Shahill´s automail "I just need to figure out where."

Shahill nodded slowly, he know how annoying it is when something you don´t quite remember is right before you but you can´t place where you have seen it. Edward knows this child, but where he do not know. Only time will tell. "I suggest you both figure it out in your bed, tomorrow we will figure it out, alright?"

Edward and his brother nodded.

* * *

The next morning, Shahill suggested to Ed and Al they should share their thoughts to Izumi, that this child may not be human.  
They did but Shahill never heard this conversation. He felt this is none of his business. Instead he kept Winry company with the strange child who for the moment slept.  
Shahill watched the child sleep, wondering if his own child sleeps like this too or maybe wondering where he is? Now he thinks about it, his child will almost be 6 year old by now. He looked sad at his hands; he has missed six years of his child´s life.

"Shahill?"

He turns to Winry who did notice the sadness in his eyes "What´s wrong?" she asks him worried and he told what is on his mind with a faint smile.  
"Seeing this child. Well, it made me realize that I have missed six years of my own son or daughters life…"

"Oh Shahill…" Winry felt so sorry for him, she has completely forgotten that he has been searching for his family for so long, after all this time he still haven´t found them. Hoping this will cheer him up she said "But you found your brother."

Shahill smiled "Yeah, I found him." but boy was he was angry back then, he punched him, and he usually never go into violence. Now he thinks about it, he many times since he reunited with his brother, he more than once been force to violence. Hut he did it because he protect those he care for, he did not do it in the name of revenges.  
But what about this boy? Where does he come from and why does he has this strange feeling that he don´t trust this kid?  
Is he even human?

* * *

Later that day, up on one of the towns roof stood a chimera mixed with a gecko alongside a presumed dead soldier.  
They watched Edward Elric chase after a little black haired boy. Why he chases this boy is a mystery, but he must have a pretty good reason. The boy stopped at a wall and shocking he went right thought it by alchemy, but it wasn´t this boy Greed wants; right now he is after Edward.

"He just slip thought a solid brig wall, but how?" Edward asks himself confuses and yelled to the already gone boy on the other side "you are a real pain!" he clapped his hands together but never performed alchemy because he heard a sound someone land behind him.  
"If you can´t tell, I´m a little busy right now." he said the newcomer and turns around with an annoyance glare.

Behind him stood a little and somewhat creepy man, all his clothing is rags and hide most of his body. "They say, you are a genuine State Alchemist. Who is looking to get his hands on the philosopher stone." he said to the boy, feeling confident enough that if this State Alchemist attacks he can get away thanks to his animal powers. Beside; he is not alone. "Is that correct?" he asks the slightly confused boy.

"I don´t know what you mean" Edward said cold to this creepy fella.

"Ohh, I think you do" the chimera said back, smirking "rumor has it that you used your brother´s body as a sacrifice and had to transmute his soul." he told the alchemist and walks closer. "Though, why you used his and not your own they don´t—" he never finish for Edward kicked him right in the face.

the chimera´s "bodyguard" tried really hard not to laugh, the chimera so much had this coming!  
The hazel eyes quickly notices movement and saw that Alphonse has arrived and he did not like what the chimera said about him being a freak. He lifted the chimera; Bido up in the rag clothes in a slight angry move.

Bido gasped slightly shocked over Al´s sudden arrival but quickly he went into action and uses his chimera ability to knock the helmet off the armor´s body with his tail. It shocked Alphonse so much he let go of the chimera. And Bida laughed loud when he saw what information they got from their newest member has spoken true about these two, although he refused telling how they ended up like this so Greed and the others have to rely on rumors from one other "You are hollow as a tin can as he said, and Tucker was right as well!"

"Tucker?" Alphonse asks confuses and Edward roared furies at the chimera "Now you are dead!" he didn´t really care about Tucker, only that the chimera have hurt his younger brother.

Bido took the run, yelling happily it wasn´t like he could hurt him and took the run.  
He only stopped because Edward transmuted a wall before him, but not for long.  
"Your powers are uncanny, then again" thanks to the animal he is mixed with, Bido easily climbed up the wall and he said cheerful back to the boys on top of the wall "I´m uncanny too!" and he is gone.

Bido´s "partner" turns around to leave the scene as well, but stopped when suddenly a former colleague of his arrives with a man he has heard about, this very pale man named Frank Archer. But what are military from Central doing here?

"A chimera, interesting. It most have escaped from laboratory five doing under all the commotion." Archer said calm.  
the boys turns around and Alphonse is happy to see Major Armstrong "We haven´t seen you in a while."

Armstrong gave them right and he introduced Archer to them "This man here is Lt. Colonel Frank Archer, he´s the ranking officer in charge for the military count."

Hang on, has Frank Archer taken HIS job?! What the hell?!

"Then what are you doing this far south?" Edward asks them and Alphonse said to Archer "The military count? You most work pretty close to Lt. Colonel Hughes."

None of the boys notice but the man on the roof, Armstrong's former boss did notice how Armstrong tried avoid the question, as if it pained him to say something.  
The hazel eyes wide in realization, they have claimed him death! That would explain why Archer got his job!

"We like to ask you some questions" Archer said calm, as if the death of Hughes did not bother him the slightest. No surprise really, he is a war-lover moron after all.

Edward obviously thought almost the same, for did not want to stick around this guy anymore than necessary "I love to stick around and chat, but we don´t have time right now." he said to the soldiers in sarcasm cold and transmuted a hole so he and his brother could move on and so did the man on the roof, although he chose to stay so close as he dare to Archer and Armstrong.

It did not take long before trouble arrives, Archer followed the brothers and found the boy Edward followed earlier, and he quickly notices something over this boy he wants to investigate and ordered Armstrong to capture the boy. It wasn´t the most amusing part watching and be able to do nothing. Armstrong fired with his stone alchemy at the boy, making him fall down from the roof. Armstrong grabbed him and strains him with the chain of the pocket watch. Neither Edward nor Alphonse is happy over they just got attacked by the military, and less that it is by someone they trusts.

Edward transmuted stairs to get down and yelled to Armstrong "What will you do with him?!" and told "He´s an innocent kid, he totally lost his memory!"

"This kid may be material whiteness to everything there happen to laboratory five." Frank Archer said as he took the boy and added they are taking him to the south military headquarters for question. But Edward did not take that for a proper reason to do that against a kid.

"But he don´t even know who he is!"

Maybe the boy did not, but Archer did. He showed the Ouroboros mark under the kid´s left foot to the Elric brothers, this kid is a homunculus.  
"That mark, it´s what the homunculi has" Alphonse said, not knowing they got a spy who heard every word of this little conversation.

"Give me a few good hours with him and he´ll lead us to the one who destroyed lab five" Lt. Colonel Archer said the boys and he walks away. Armstrong follows him, but he stopped when Edward suddenly called after him. He turns around to Edward and told he should go back to his teacher and stay there, he should wait there so the military could find them and Edward could give them his testimony.  
Edward did not quite understand, from what he knows, this whole laboratory five businesses has been suspended by the Führer himself, so why did they keep investigating? And why is Armstrong so cold against them?

While Edward has all these questions, the chimera and the former soldier went to the nearest phone so Bido could call the boss. Bido reported to Greed and got his next order, he should keep an eye on the boy homunculus. The former soldier has done his work and should return back to base, it would be a very stupid idea letting him near a military base now he is presumed dead.

* * *

In the Curtis meat shop stood Sig, Winry and Shahill at a hole the brothers made earlier while Edward and Alphonse before their teacher there asks very hash "What did you boys do to him?"

"We did not do anything" Edward said and Alphonse asked slightly confuse "Why do you make such a big fuss over him anyway, teacher?"

Izumi shot the boy a glare, but she did not say anything. So Alphonse continues "Maybe it´s the best thing for him. They might be able to track down his identity, beside…"  
Edward muttered his name in a warning but Alphonse did not listen. "He is NOT human."

Everyone in the room saw a flinch of anger from Izumi. Alphonse is really pushing it now, but still he continue "You may not believe they exits, we didn´t. But we have seen more of our share of homunculi recently. They are real and they are terrifying. They have powers humans' don´t have: a mouth there can chew through metal, fingers there can strength and piece through anything, there are even a homunculus there can morph into anyone. That child may have special abilities teacher, but that´s because he´s a monster."

Izumi walks towards the metal boy and without a word, she hardly pushed him backward, finally she spoke "Do you have the slightest idea how a homunculus is brought into this world Alphonse?" she asks him hash.

"Take it easy" Winry muttered to them, she could very well like Shahill feel the tension in the room has grown.

Izumi more or less ignored the girl and asked the boys "Do you take me as a fool? That I´ll be so blind not to realize… exactly what this child is?!"

Edward and Al are speechless. She has known all along what this child has been. Still she has cared for it like it´s human like them. Something sticks far deeper than just compassion thought Shahill. Somehow it looks like she got some sort of past with this child, but how can that be? She only met it few days back.  
Suddenly cough Izumi blood up and she felt on her knees. Sig quickly took her and stormed out from the house and away from the shocked crowd.

* * *

"So she has been sick all this time?" Winry asks the boys at the hospital. Alphonse nodded and told they often forget she is because Izumi always acting so strong.  
"But what is her illness?" Winry asked and added if they transport her to a bigger hospital, they may be able to find a cure.

"Young lady, I´m afraid that won´t do her much good." said the doctor to them. He has just arrived from Izumi´s room.

Winry turns to him saying serious "No offence doctor, but I think a big city hospital is better equipped."  
But Edward told her sad, that their teacher cannot be cured.  
Shahill who all the time stood up against a wall with crossed arms open his eyes with a frown to the boys before he eyed the doctor "What does it mean?"

The doctor sighted and showed them a manikin where you can see all the internal organs. He pointed at the lower part of her internal organs and told they are all missing, telling it looks like they are just somehow been taken away and the rest of her organs have adapted and taken the mission organs job, but he wasn´t sure how she has been able to survive this long.

Alphonse turned to his brother, whispering "Brother, do you think she…"

"You heard what he said" Edward said to his brother, feeling cold over not having realized it before now "Like they have just… been taking away."

"So… she must have tried doing the same thing that we did…" Alphonse said to him kind of sad. Unfortunately they couldn´t speak more about it. One of the nurses ran into the room and told that Izumi and Sig are both mission and the open window could tell what they have done.

* * *

A/N: guess who is the newest member in Greeds gang! if you don´t know then you have to follow me if you want to find out.


	17. Chapter 17: A Demon of Truth

Fast as they could follow Shahill and Winry the Elric brothers towards the South command center, they saw how alchemy completely messed up with the command centers structure and how Sig Curtis just stood and watched.  
"Don´t tell me Mrs. Izumi is inside" Winry said worried.

Sig did not say anything and Winry cried to him of how he can ignore her like this when she is asking a question. Shahill sat gentle a hand on her shoulder and she said sad most to Shahill "They are all in harm's way… Mrs. Izumi, Ed and Al… why did they do this?!" she asked confused and angry.

"They didn´t know… they couldn´t have…" Sig finally said. Shahill and Winry turn their eyes to him and Sig told "She felt guilty, as if it was her fault. But it was me who made the dissension to save her life in expense for her unborn child. Still… she apologized to me repeatedly not being strong enough to give birth."

"She lost her baby" Shahill said in realization on which this child may be.

"Afterwards I didn´t realize the pressure she suffered from" Sig continue "or how heavily the loss weighted on her heart. I certainly never imaged she would resort into such drastic measures."

"What do you mean?" Winry asks him confuse, but it wasn´t Sig who reply but Shahill.

"She tried bring back her child." he said and could sit himself in her place, he may never seen his child but losing it, Kalinda or his brother… he couldn´t even think about it. Losing his friends and parents in that war is more than enough, he will not let any harm come to his family, not so long he live.  
Now knowing what this woman is going through, Shahill walked into the building. Not sure what he can do, but he wants to help in any way he can.

* * *

Okay he knew when Alchemist fights they make a lot of chaos but this is ridiculous! Shahill ran through the corridors. Destroyed of alchemy and the whole building shakes like crazy! It must mean that all this alchemy fighting has taken its toll on the building and it will soon collapse and take everyone inside with it, he has to find Izumi and the Elric brothers fast! He heard Ed battle cry and turned to the sound, he stopped when an explosion arrived and a panicking voice said "We can´t stay here!" followed by a far too familiar voice "Sure we can, I can just blow the whole place apart"

No… it can´t be! Shahill ran to the place, he found Edward and his brother and before them stood someone he never hopes he would meet again. The memories of how he stood on the building, how he showed his palms with the transmutation array and how he destroyed everything Shahill knew and love in seconds.  
The State Alchemist eyed him and slowly recognized him "I have seen that face before… where was it?"

Shahill isn´t the revengeful or wrathful type, but seeing this man… well let´s just say he now knew how his younger brother feels now "You… you killed my friends, my parents and almost my brother." growled Shahill with shaken voice.

The alchemist smirked "Ahhh, I remember you. If I remember correctly you were shielding someone, your brother perhaps" the smirk faded as he looked into the red eyes. These red eyes weren´t the one he saw back then. The eyes he saw so long time ago was scared and full of pain. These eyes he looked into now are strong and somehow full intelligent, making him enable to quickly understand the others way to perform alchemy and that could make him dangerous. Is this really the same man he encountered so long ago?

"Do you know the Crimson Alchemist?" Edward asked and Shahill slowly nodded, not taking his eyes away from the alchemist. He has seen his work and will not be taken off guarded if he attacks.  
Edward turns to the Crimson Alchemist there smirking said "I did get orders to blow up the Ishvalan people after all" he eyed Shahill "and I would love to finish the job, stating with you. Then I find your brother."

He shouldn´t have said that, Shahill´s mind snapped and in a roar he attacked with alchemy, stonewalls smashed against the Crimson Alchemist and the chimera, they would have been killed if not Kimblee have used his explosive powers. The Crimson alchemist got free from the attack and the chimera took the run for it. But Shahill wasn´t done, he fired another attack on them, forcing the enemy to flee for the building has gone too unstable.  
"Get back here!" Shahill would´ve followed if not Alphonse and Edward stopped him. "Shahill stop!" cried Al and Edward said "if you keep doing this you will destroy the building!"  
Shahill glared at them "Let me go! He destroyed everything, he killed my people!" he tried to get free but the brothers refuse to let him go.  
Neither of them has ever seen the usually so calm and cheerful man so furies. For the first time they saw the Scar in him… and it scared them.

"No" Edward told him and said "we won´t let go of you before you relax."

"Relax? Relax?!" Shahill asked angry "How can I relax when that… that monster is getting away! If you are afraid he will kill me, then don´t, I can take him."

"That´s not what I´m worried about." Edward looked into the red eyes "but would that make you better than him?"  
Shahill gasped and Edward told him not to go this path, not to go the same path Scar chose. For who should then help Scar on staying on the right path?  
"I still don´t like Scar, but he is your brother and he needs you to stay strong."

Finally Shahill stopped struggle and they could let go of him. The Ishvalan smiled weakly "You´re right… I´m sorry for, losing control like this…"

Edward smiled back "I think everyone would if they were in your shoes…"

Shahill chuckled but stopped when he looked to the place the Crimson Alchemist went through, promise himself that if Kimblee ever try to harm his family ever again, then the Crimson Alchemist will surly regret it when he is done with him.

* * *

In the slums where the Ishvalan refugee notice Scar a strange man pass by him and his master as they waited for their ration of food. He asked his master about him and his master told he should keep away from that one "Didn´t you see the tattoo branded on his face? The same mark of a sinner. He betrayed god's ways and for that: he was banishing from Ishval forever."

Just like brother thought Scar and turned to the strange man walks away and into a scruffy tent. After getting his food, Scar sat down to eat where he watch his people trying to get the best of this place. it´s not the greatest place, but it is safe. Makes him wonder what his brother is doing and what he meant by knowing the truth? What truth was he talking about?  
Ever since their reuniting his brother´s way of alchemy has drastic change, now he only spoke of alchemy as a way of understanding the world. But understand what? What is it his brother is trying to tell him?  
And what is the truth he is seeking?

* * *

Izumi Curtis has taken the homunculus child to the small island where they found him and where he was created in the first place. Edward, his brother, Winry and Shahill all went to the place to help her, knowing the homunculus could kill her with no remorse for Envy have helped the boy to regain his memories and open for a big hatred to his "mother" the perfect weapon against the Elric brothers.

Meanwhile has Greeds gang followed the Elric brothers to the same island, Greed wants the homunculus child for himself. Greed has only taken those he more or less trust, all the "normal" stayed back home. When the last got off the boat, Greed told them they should get moving but got interrupted by Envy there said cocky "Well, hello there Ultimate shield"

Greed smirked and turned his eyes up to Envy "hello yourself ultimate… ohh wait, you like to be called abomination, don´t you?" he asked the slender homunculus in his form of a sick joke.

"You were sealed in a prison for more than a century and you still haven´t learn your lesson Greed?"

"Yes, forgive me my name calling got a little stale, it´s hard to keep my jokes current in a cell." Greed told Envy with a grin, but it quickly faded when Envy asked him about his skull. Greed tried bluff his way out from this "I smashed it into little pieces, of course."

But Envy did not fall for it "Ahh I see, so you´ve taken and hidden it somewhere. Don´t worries I´ll find it and put you right back where you were"

"Like I let you!" Greed said and attacked Envy. Easily he jumped up to him on the cliff and Envy dodged all his attacks. Greed stopped his attacks and remarked to Envy "From the news I´ve been getting lately, we got a brand new member around here."

"He has nothing do to you Greed." Envy said to him.

"He doesn't?" Greed asked him and told that he still wants to live and be free, in order doing that he need more allies.

"That´s too bad" Envy smirking told him.

Greed growled at him, but from the sound of heavily moving water he turns around and saw his members get blown up by a water cyclone, luckily no one of them got badly hurt.  
Before him stood a woman with chestnut brown hair and Envy greeted her as Sloth.

"Sloth?" Greed asked him and haven´t realized that someone with that name has been created. Envy told him that there is a new Lust as well and all seven of them are around in this world after a long time.  
Sloth said it is a pleasure to meet him, but Greed knew that she, like Envy will kill him without a second of hesitation, he better draw back. With hands up in defend he said carefree to the two homunculi "I may be greedy, but I´m still not a fool. I have no intentions of fighting two homunculi at the same time."  
and he left, not seeing that one of his subject has left his gang.

* * *

Meanwhile has the child Wrath told the group of humans the truth of how homunculi are born into this world: by a failed human transmutation. And the reason why he can perform alchemy is because he has Edward limbs, those he sacrificed so many years back.

When Alphonse heard these limbs really are his brother´s he became determent to get them, even it meant to tear them off Wrath´s body. He attacked the boy but before he could do anything against Wrath; Izumi stopped him by using herself as a shield, like a mother would do towards her child.

It did not take long for Wrath to use her so called weakness towards him; he transmuted part of her clothing and used it against Alphonse while he threw Izumi away like trash. Wrath used the clothing he took from Izumi to get inside Alphonse armor body and take control over him. Al tried to fight back but he couldn´t stop himself from grabbing his brother´s right arm and slowly squash the automail.

"Your brother is going to help me crush it into pieces! All those ugly mechanical parts." Wrath said to Edward, completely ignoring Winry offended outburst on what he called her automail.  
"And I will take everything… you have left." added Wrath with an evil smirk all over his face, much to Edward´s great shock.

Suddenly, out from nowhere, something very fast and sharp cut the clothing there made Wrath able to control Alphonse over.  
Wrath screamed in pain and jumped back, for that clothing has been his body.  
The Elric brothers stared first at the boy, and then at the very strange looking spear there have cut the clothing over and more at the owner of this weapon.

"I don´t think so." said the owner of the weapon as she picked it up from the ground.  
It´s easily see that this creature is female with that body. But none of them has ever seen a human looking creature like this; a homunculus or a chimera would be closer to what she is. This creature have bat wings, a long slender tail, leather skin and yellow cat-like eyes, if you look closely you would also be able to see two horns hidden under the chestnut hair. The creature turned her cat-like eyes to Wrath "You shouldn´t even have that arm and leg."

"You" Shahill said with wide eyes, he know this woman. It was the same woman from his vision before he woke up at the Rockbell´s hospital!

The woman turned to him and smiled sugar sweet "Ohh~ long time no see. Having fun?"

"What have you done, to my past?!" yelled Shahill at her, she most have done something for he has never tried revive anyone from the death.

"I may be able to bring people back from the death, but I can´t changes the past" she simple said and added while she played with her spear "It´s not like I could bring you back to your REAL body, since you did use your own life as payment for saving your brother´s."

Shahill eyes wide, w-what did she mean this isn´t his real body?

"Hey you!" Edward suddenly yelled to her "what do you mean by bring people back from the death? That´s not possible!"

She smiled to him and when she explained, she went to Wrath who tried to get away for he remember seeing her on the gate he fears so much. "Silly boy, I can bring people back from the death. With a price of course. You know: equaling exchanges." she stopped Wrath by piecing his left arm and continued as she smirks over to Edward "I promised him life, he got life, but he did not get HIS life. Still I can see he will more or less accept this life, because someone needs him more than his real brother."

"My… real brother?" Shahill asked, what she said somehow, in some crazy way made sense to him. But how could he know she isn´t lying?

Alphonse did not believe her and said hash "You´re lying, no one can bring people back from the death."

"So you want proof?" she asks him with a smirk and asked what he will pay for? "A life for a life. I gave your Ishvalan friend life because someone else was willing to give up his own life and his body. What are you willing to give in order to gain?" she asked him and took up the screaming Wrath "You humans are not meant to create life. So for your try, a price has been taken from you. See it as one of life cruel lessons."  
She hit Wrath with her tail and told him to shut it.

Izumi got slowly on her feet, not pleased seeing the child she made being harmed by this… thing "And what should I lean… by losing my son? There is no equalizing in that!"

"Of course there are" the woman said cheerful "one of you have to die that day under the birth. The world chooses you, because you are the strongest. His life exchanges for yours."

Izumi sneered to her "So the world chooses me instead of him?"

"That´s the world my dear, it is cruel." The woman told her still cheerful and added somehow serious "Have you ever considered what would have happen if you endured the pain the loss of your first child? Taken that pain and turn it into strength? You would have become stronger and more experience, so if you have tried again, then… you would have giving birth to a strong a healthy child."

Izumi´s eyes wide of the horrified truth but the strange woman isn´t done with her "but you chose not to endure, you chose to look away from how life really is and you created:" she threw Wrath on the ground "this, a child with no soul, homunculus. As punishment for your sin, you got a body, never able to bear a child ever again." she turned her eyes to the pained woman "You gave him to the gate, I saw you, but of course he escapes with the payment Blondie paid to his mother and to get his brother´s soul." She looked down to the somehow terrified boy "these powers you posses do not belong to you, you haven´t giving anything in payment, so" she took him up again by grabbing his collar "I´m taking you and mister Elric´s limbs back to the gate" a portal behind her open and the creature took the screaming boy and about to throw him into the void.

"No!" screamed Edward, but it was Izumi who took action. She clapped her hands and created a deep crater into the ground, and right under the creature. The woman fell, the portal closed and Wrath was free from her grasp. The Elric brothers stared at Izumi who glared down to where the creature fell down, then she gasping from exhaustion glared at the boys "You stay out from this, I command you" she looked at the still terrified boy. "This boy is my sin and mine alone to bear." she couched up blood and Wrath took the run for it. The Elric brothers followed him and completely ignoring Izumi´s order.

"Hey wait a minute, she told you guys to stop!" yelled Winry after them, she turned to Shahill for help but the Ishvalan just stood there with disbelief in his red eyes of what the creature have told him.  
Down on the bottom of the crater sat the woman, not at all harmed by the fall. She smirked up to the surface "Persistence one I say." then she shrugged careless "alright, I let her keep the boy… for now anyway." and she vanish by using a portal.  
Meanwhile the brothers found a death end by following the boy, Envy and Sloth made sure of that by hide themselves as the Führer and his secretary.

Edward did have a bad feeling about them and chose leave them before they get´s more trouble, battling with one homunculus is more than enough for today. Better get back to their teacher.

* * *

A/N: if you people don´t quite get what Sherea is: she´s a demon or Morphatia as is the name on her home world Genesis which is a OC world of mine.  
just so you know: Sherea is not evil... she just gets easily bored and like everyone else of her kind: a twisted sense of humor.


End file.
